Schools & Metropolitan Inequity: Education and Markets in the Late 20th Century History of Education Society October 2007

The Rise of “Shopping for Schools” in Suburbia Jack Dougherty Educational Studies Program & Cities, Suburbs, and Schools Project Trinity College, Hartford CT October 2007

Historical argument:

-- Middle-class Americans increasingly engaged in “shopping for schools” during latter 20th century

Historical argument: -- Middle-class Americans increasingly engaged in “shopping for schools” during latter 20th century -- “Shopping” and “selling” intentionally linked purchase of private homes with perceived better public schools

Historical argument: -- Middle-class Americans increasingly engaged in “shopping for schools” during latter 20th century -- “Shopping” and “selling” intentionally linked purchase of private homes with perceived better public schools -- Major role in transforming physical space and legal boundaries into what we recognize today as suburbia

Historical argument: -- Middle-class Americans increasingly engaged in “shopping for schools” during latter 20th century -- “Shopping” and “selling” intentionally linked purchase of private homes with perceived better public schools -- Major role in transforming physical space and legal boundaries into what we recognize today as suburbia Why does this matter?

Historical argument: -- Middle-class Americans increasingly engaged in “shopping for schools” during latter 20th century -- “Shopping” and “selling” intentionally linked purchase of private homes with perceived better public schools -- Major role in transforming physical space and legal boundaries into what we recognize today as suburbia Why does this matter?

Historical argument: -- Middle-class Americans increasingly engaged in “shopping for schools” during latter 20th century -- “Shopping” and “selling” intentionally linked purchase of private homes with perceived better public schools -- Major role in transforming physical space and legal boundaries into what we recognize today as suburbia Why does this matter? - Suburban histories rarely mention schools; when they do, misleading time compression

Historical argument: -- Middle-class Americans increasingly engaged in “shopping for schools” during latter 20th century -- “Shopping” and “selling” intentionally linked purchase of private homes with perceived better public schools -- Major role in transforming physical space and legal boundaries into what we recognize today as suburbia Why does this matter? - Suburban histories rarely mention schools; when they do, misleading time compression - Suburban schools were not a strong magnet in early 1950s, but became one by 1960s & ‘70s

A Suburban Case Study: West Hartford, Connecticut, from 1920s to 2000s

1) WH Schools as Weak Magnets in 1920s

Phenomenal pre-WW II suburban housing boom Most building permits for 1- and 2-family homes of any CT municipality, 1922

1) WH Schools as Weak Magnets in 1920s CT Dept of Ed report revealed mediocre school quality 1923

1) WH Schools as Weak Magnets in 1920s CT Dept of Ed report revealed mediocre school quality High school facility -- “unsatisfactory from practically every standpoint” 1923

1) WH Schools as Weak Magnets in 1920s CT Dept of Ed report revealed mediocre school quality High school facility -- “unsatisfactory from practically every standpoint” Elementary schools -- overcrowded that 3 out of 7 ran “illegal” half-day sessions of less than three hours 1923

1) WH Schools as Weak Magnets in 1920s CT Dept of Ed report revealed mediocre school quality High school facility -- “unsatisfactory from practically every standpoint” Elementary schools -- overcrowded that 3 out of 7 ran “illegal” half-day sessions of less than three hours 1923

1) WH Schools as Weak Magnets in 1920s CT Dept of Ed report revealed mediocre school quality High school facility -- “unsatisfactory from practically every standpoint” Elementary schools -- overcrowded that 3 out of 7 ran “illegal” half-day sessions of less than three hours “There seems no good reason for WH schools to be satisfied with merely achieving standard results…” “Superior schools are the desire of the people.” 1923

1) WH Schools as Weak Magnets in 1920s City schools widely recognized as superior over suburban “Hartford is to be commended for maintaining the ‘gold standard’ of its college preparatory students... [its reputation] is widely and favorably known through eastern collegiate circles.” - Strayer survey, 1937

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s

Anxiety about WH educational quality in mid-class suburb 1950

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Anxiety about WH educational quality in mid-class suburb 1950

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Anxiety about WH educational quality in mid-class suburb

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Anxiety about WH educational quality in mid-class suburb “If we lived in a mill town, where the income level was modest, it would not be startling to find that we could not afford the best in public education. To document that we have grade B- secondary education available in West Hartford is a shock of another order.” - West Hartford News, 1951

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Real estate agents increasingly advertised private homes as access to better-quality public schools 1951

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Real estate agents increasingly advertised private homes as access to better-quality public schools 1951 During 1954 dispute over redrawing school attendance zones, a West Hartford parent told Board of Ed: “Whenever real estate men sell property, they tell their clients that they (purchasers) are in the Sedgwick, Webster Hill, or Bugbee areas.”

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Real estate agents increasingly advertised private homes as access to better-quality public schools 1951 During 1954 dispute over redrawing school attendance zones, a West Hartford parent told Board of Ed: “Whenever real estate men sell property, they tell their clients that they (purchasers) are in the Sedgwick, Webster Hill, or Bugbee areas.” WH school superintendent criticized agents for promoting “social class consciousness”: “Doesn’t it boil down to some people thinking there is more prestige to going to one school than another?”

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Real estate agents increasingly advertised private homes as access to better-quality public schools 1951 Hartford Courant, May 1, 1960

2) Rise of Selling Homes & Schools, 1950s Real estate agents increasingly advertised private homes as access to better-quality public schools 1951

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores

State government, suburban real estate agents, and homebuyers all began to embrace school test data

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores State government, suburban real estate agents, and homebuyers all began to embrace school test data WH Board of Ed reaffirmed policy of “not releasing school scores on a town-wide basis”

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores State government, suburban real estate agents, and homebuyers all began to embrace school test data WH Board of Ed reaffirmed policy of “not releasing school scores on a town-wide basis” CT legislature created statewide test, but no uniform system of reporting data

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores State government, suburban real estate agents, and homebuyers all began to embrace school test data WH Board of Ed reaffirmed policy of “not releasing school scores on a town-wide basis” CT legislature created statewide test, but no uniform system of reporting data National School Reporting Services opened in CT; began selling school data to WH realtors

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores State government, suburban real estate agents, and homebuyers all began to embrace school test data WH Board of Ed reaffirmed policy of “not releasing school scores on a town-wide basis” CT legislature created statewide test, but no uniform system of reporting data National School Reporting Services opened in CT; began selling school data to WH realtors CT began uniform reporting of test data on paper

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores State government, suburban real estate agents, and homebuyers all began to embrace school test data WH Board of Ed reaffirmed policy of “not releasing school scores on a town-wide basis” CT legislature created statewide test, but no uniform system of reporting data National School Reporting Services opened in CT; began selling school data to WH realtors CT began uniform reporting of test data on paper by CT test data more widely accessible on Internet

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores Pre-2000: Data available once a year in local newspaper 1951 Hartford Courant, Jan 6, 1999

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores Pre-2000: Data available once a year in local newspaper Post-2000: Instantly, anywhere, on govt & non-govt sites 1951 Hartford Courant, Jan 6, 1999

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH elem scores higher, wider variation (compared to 1923) Stronger relationship between residence & school quality 1951

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH buyers paid more for homes in higher-scoring school zones, controlling for house & neighborhood characteristics, from 1996 to

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH buyers paid more for homes in higher-scoring school zones, controlling for house & neighborhood characteristics, from 1996 to

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH buyers paid more for homes in higher-scoring school zones, controlling for house & neighborhood characteristics, from 1996 to

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH buyers paid more for homes in higher-scoring school zones, controlling for house & neighborhood characteristics, from 1996 to A 12 percentage point increase in test scores (one standard deviation) is associated with an average home price increase of:

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH buyers paid more for homes in higher-scoring school zones, controlling for house & neighborhood characteristics, from 1996 to A 12 percentage point increase in test scores (one standard deviation) is associated with an average home price increase of: $2,244 (pre-2000 period)

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH buyers paid more for homes in higher-scoring school zones, controlling for house & neighborhood characteristics, from 1996 to A 12 percentage point increase in test scores (one standard deviation) is associated with an average home price increase of: $2,244 (pre-2000 period) $8,060 (post-2000 period) Both expressed in year 2000 dollars

3) Rise of Shopping for School Test Scores WH buyers paid more for homes in higher-scoring school zones, controlling for house & neighborhood characteristics, from 1996 to A 12 percentage point increase in test scores (one standard deviation) is associated with an average home price increase of: $2,244 (pre-2000 period) $8,060 (post-2000 period) Both expressed in year 2000 dollars Test-Price relationship became stronger over time

Historical argument: -- Middle-class “shopping for schools” in late 20th century -- Intentionally linked private homes with public schools -- Major role in creation of modern US suburbia