Low-income students across the United States attend schools with lower average test scores than students whose families have higher incomes. These families are often unable to access high-performing schools because housing is expensive in the neighborhoods where these schools are located. In the largest 100 U.S. metropolitan areas, housing is 2.4 times as expensive in neighborhoods with high-performing schools than in neighborhoods with low-performing schools. Since Hispanic and black families are more likely to have low incomes, this housing landscape perpetuates segregation of racial and ethnic minority families into high-poverty neighborhoods and schools. Many studies have found that increases in poverty and racial and ethnic segregation in schools are associated with inferior student performance. In short, the doors to academic success are closed early for many low-income and minority children.
Housing policy has demonstrated potential to help alleviate these disparities. An increasing number of jurisdictions with high housing costs are using inclusionary zoning to increase the supply and geographic dispersion of affordable housing. In cases where these policies are implemented through mandatory ordinances, they typically require that new developments of at least a minimum size include a specified percentage of affordable units alongside market rate units.
[For more of this story go to http://www.childtrends.org/integrative-housing-policies-can-improve-education-opportunities-for-low-income-kids/#sthash.6AgaKA6s.dpuf]
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