Indicator: School and workplace racial and ethnic diversity
Definition
Individuals are exposed to racial and ethnic diversity within their schools, postsecondary institutions, and workplaces.
RECOMMENDED METRIC(S)
• Pre-K, K-12, and workforce: Student body composition by race and ethnicity (%)
• Workforce: Employee composition by race and ethnicity (%)
Type(s) of Data Needed
Administrative dataWhy it matters
In both schools and the workplace, greater diversity is shown to reduce intergroup prejudice and improve intelligence and innovation. In early learning settings, racial and ethnic diversity is positively associated with children’s language development. Racially integrated elementary and secondary schools are associated with improved life outcomes for all students, including higher college enrollment and success, higher lifetime earnings, more diverse social circles, and better social skills in adulthood. In postsecondary settings, frequent interracial interactions and more diverse campuses are related to positive student outcomes, such as growth in leadership skills, psychological well-being, and intellectual engagement. Diverse workplaces are related to improved employee interpersonal skills and innovation, financial performance, and less conflict. However, high levels of racial segregation persist in many settings. For example, in 2018, 13 percent of Black students, 16 percent of Latino students, and 18 percent of White students attended schools where at least 90 percent of their classmates shared their racial and ethnic background.
What to know about measurement
Student and employee demographics are reported regularly in administrative data systems. Unlike postsecondary institutions and employers, however, pre-K and K–12 institutions have less direct control over the demographics of their populations. Thus, this indicator should be used to identify policy solutions to address ongoing segregation rather than penalize institutions.
Note that we suggest capturing the diversity of school leadership in the representational racial and ethnic diversity of educators indicator. For a workforce-level correlate, employee composition data could be disaggregated by management level to assess the extent to which workers of color (or any other demographic group) are represented in management positions.
E-W Case Studies
Source frameworks
This indicator appeared in four source frameworks reviewed for this report. Our recommendations align with Alliance for Resource Equity’s definition for “diverse classrooms and schools.” We expanded the definition and metric to include workplace racial and ethnic diversity as well.
References
The framework's recommendations are based on syntheses of existing research. Please see the framework report for a list of works cited.