Contributing to the Harms of Racial Isolation: Analysis of Requests for Teacher Transfers in a Large Urban School District

Abstract

Many harms of racial isolation are addressed in court proceedings on school desegregation. Although thefocus of these harms has traditionally been on students in schools and school districts (racial and ethnic percentages), increasing attention is now being given to teachers (staff stabillty, quality, absenteeism, and experience). The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of teacher transfer requests, using Markov analysis to model mathematically the possible flow of teachers within a large urban district. The findings reveal a potential "flight" of teachers away from minority populated inner-city schools. District transfer policies which leave such patterns unchecked may svell contribute to the harms of racial isolation.