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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Desegregation

Overview

  • Influence: Desegregation
  • Domain: School
  • Sub-Domain: School compositional effects
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Likely to have positive impact
  • Influence Definition: Removing barriers that kept schools racially homogeneous, aiming to equalize educational opportunities for racial minorities, particularly for African Americans.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 10
  • Number of studies: 335
  • Number of students: 6,731
  • Number of effects: 723
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.23
  • Robustness index: 4

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Urban Review Krol A meta-analysis of the effects of desegregation on academic achievement 1980 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 71 NA 71 0.16
Dissertation McEvoy A meta-analysis of comparative research on the effect of desegregation on academic achievement and self-esteem of black students 1982 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 29 NA 29 0.20
Conference paper Miller & Carlson School desegregation as a social reform: a meta-analysis of its effects on black academic achievement 1982 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 19 NA 34 0.19
Report Walberg Desegregation and educational productivity. Final report 1982 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 19 NA 19 0.88
Report Armor The Evidence of Desegregation and Black Achievement 1983 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 19 NA 51 0.05
Conference paper Bryant Desegregation and black student achievement: Results from a meta-analysis 1983 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 31 NA 31 0.45
American Journal of Sociology Crain & Mahard The Effect of Research Methodology on Desegregation-Achievement Studies: A Meta-Analysis 1983 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 93 NA 323 0.08
Sociological Methods & Research Wortman & Bryant School desegregation and black achievement: An integrative review.  1985 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 31 NA 98 0.45
Advances in Applied Social Psychology Stephan The Effects of School Desegregation: An Evaluation 30 Years 1986 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in US 19 NA 63 0.15
Studies in Educational Evaluation Goldring & Addi Using Meta-Analysis to Study Policy Issues: The Ethnic Composition of the Classroom and Achievement in Israel 1989 Desegregated vs. segregated classes in Israel 4 6,731 4 0.15
TOTAL/AVERAGE 335 6,731 723 0.28
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