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When I hear stories from parents like Ms. Rodriguez, a mother from a Long Island neighborhood with limited resources, it reminds me just how deeply these disparities affect real families and their children’s futures. Her children struggle to access advanced placement courses, extracurricular activities, and proper learning tools—all because of systemic inequalities that have been built into our communities. These aren’t just numbers—they’re lives impacted by policies and practices that have created and sustained a cycle of segregation and underfunding.

The disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes on Long Island come down to the legacy of racially charged district zoning, neighborhood segregation, and funding disparities. Schools with predominantly Black and Latinx students often lack basic supplies, remote learning options, and test prep services, while schools with mostly White and Asian students receive about 25% more funding and spend nearly $10,000 more per student (Discenza, 2022). These resource gaps directly impact student success, college attendance, and future economic stability.

This didn’t happen by chance:
Most Black residents on Long Island live in just 11 of its 291 communities (Winslow, 2019). Hyper-segregation was intentionally created through policies like White flight, racially motivated zoning laws, and discriminatory real estate practices—practices that Douglas Massey calls “hyper-segregated patterns.” These policies have long kept communities of color isolated and disadvantaged while enriching predominantly White neighborhoods. Despite legal victories against segregation, recent studies (2022-2023) show that racial and economic divides persist, with disparities in school funding, resources, and educational quality still very much alive.

The funding system, which relies heavily on property taxes, further entrenches these inequalities. Wealthy districts benefit from affluent property owners, leading to better facilities, more advanced courses, and higher graduation rates. Nearly 50% of students in the predominantly White West Islip School District go on to earn a Bachelor’s degree or higher, reflecting the advantages that come with resource-rich, mostly White neighborhoods. In stark contrast, less than 24% of students in William Floyd School District—where communities are more racially diverse—reach that level of higher education. These disparities are not coincidental; they are the result of systemic inequalities rooted in racial segregation. When access to quality education is tied to race and neighborhood wealth, it perpetuates cycles of racial and economic inequality that affect generations. These disparities shape students’ futures—affecting employment prospects, income, and social mobility—sometimes even just a mile apart.

Lorna Lewis, superintendent of Plainview-Old Bethpage, pointedly states, “Our education should not be designed by the pocketbook, the ZIP code, the lines that we draw… that should not be the reason for educational outcomes.” Yet, these lines—drawn through racist zoning, property taxes, and segregation—continue to define and divide our schools.

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What Can We Do?

Addressing these disparities requires a multifaceted approach. Here are some practical solutions and a call for collective action:

• Support equitable funding policies: Schools should receive resources based on student need, not neighborhood wealth. Policies that provide universal access to high-quality teachers and resources are essential.
• Encourage cross-district collaboration: Like ERASE Racism’s suggestion—allow students in underserved districts to take AP courses or access advanced programs in neighboring districts, breaking down barriers created by geographic and funding divides.
• Address economic barriers: Policies that promote higher wages and expand food security programs like SNAP can reduce the barriers that poverty imposes on learning.
• Promote cultural diversity: Curriculums that reflect diverse histories and experiences can foster understanding and reduce biases that perpetuate segregation.
• Get involved: Attend local school board meetings, advocate for fair funding, support community efforts to desegregate neighborhoods, and stay informed about policies affecting our schools.

Change won’t happen overnight, but by working together—parents, educators, community leaders, and students—we can push for a future where every child, regardless of ZIP code, has access to a quality education and a fair shot at success.

This persistent segregation is not just history; it’s an ongoing challenge. Recognizing the roots of these inequalities and actively working to dismantle them is our responsibility. Every action counts, and the future of our children depends on us stepping up now.

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Works Cited

• Discenza, N. (2022). Long Island’s “intensely segregated” schools lack funding to provide equitable services. WSHU.
• NCES (2024). National Center for Education Statistics.
• Treviño, J. (2021). Investigating Social Problems. SAGE Publications.
• Vohra, S. (2019). The fight to desegregate New York Schools. The New York Times.
• Winslow, O. (2023). Segregation of blacks, whites was built into the history of LI and persists today. Newsday.

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