THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL-DESEGREGATION PLANS, 1968-1991

A major debate in school desegregation policy is whether voluntary, ma rket-based mechanisms (such as magnet schools) result in more school d esegregation than command-and-control approaches (such as mandatory re assignment). Using data obtained from a national probability sample of 600 school districts, we explore the effects of different types of de segregation plans on White flight racial imbalance, and interracial ex posure from 1968 to 1991. Based on the results of multiple regression analyses, we find that (a) voluntary plans result in lower levels of W hite flight and higher levels of change in interracial exposure than m andatory-reassignment or controlled-choice plans (which fall between t he two approaches) and (b) voluntary plans are not disadvantaged in co mparison to mandatory-reassignment or controlled-choice plans in the a chievement of racial balance.