Bifulco study on intergroup relation in integrated schools published in EPAA
Aug 31, 2012
Intergroup Relations in Integrated Schools: A Glimpse Inside Interdistrict Magnet Schools
Robert Bifulco, Christian Buerger & Casey Cobb
Education Policy Analysis Archives, August 2012
The frequency and quality of intergroup contact within racially and ethnically diverse
schools has potentially important implications for the achievement of desegregation goals. The
analyses presented here use survey data to assess intergroup contact within a sample of ten
interdistrict magnet schools in Connecticut. Findings indicate frequent intergroup interactions
within interdistrict magnet schools, but also that the perceived quality of intergroup relations differs
across racial groups and both the frequency and quality of intergroup contact varies considerably
across schools. Students who report higher quality intergroup relations in their school also tend to
report more positive academic environments and more positive attitudes towards other groups.
Together these findings indicate that attention must be paid to intergroup relations within diverse
schools if the goals of integrated schooling are to be realized.