Demography and Educational Politics in the Suburban Marketplace

Abstract

The demography of public school enrollment continues to change dramatically, with students of color comprising an increasing proportion of the whole. As such, suburbia, with both White and non-White students, is a place in which integration is more possible in the beginning of the 21st century. Due to the intertwined nature of how these factors affect educational politics in suburban districts, we draw on Hirschman's exit-voice-loyalty framework to examine factors influencing residential and education decisions. Drawing on in-depth fieldwork in seven multiracial suburban districts, this article examines how, and whether, the way in which districts define issues related to increasing diversity shapes the actions they take. The article also examines how district jurisdiction affects the implementation of diversity policies as well as the policies themselves. We argue that policymakers’ decision making, both due to the pressure of exit to less diverse suburban districts and the rising voices of more advantaged residents in the suburban marketplace, has increased inequality within districts, particularly those that we call “multimunicipal,” or districts with multiple, disparate municipalities within the district.