School assignment in Boston and New York City came to national attention in the 1970s as courts across the country tried to integrate schools. Today, district-wide choice allows Boston and New York students to enroll far from home. Although 1970s desegregation efforts likely benefited minority students, urban school transportation is increasingly…

This is the policy brief for the discussion paper, "Still Worth the Trip? School Busing Effects in Boston and New York." While choice systems offer students in segregated neighborhoods access to schools that may be more integrated and of higher quality, does busing lead to improved academic performance as measured by higher test scores…

Teachers' efforts to manage classroom social dynamics can have positive effects on students' social relationships. One way that teachers may seek to manage these relationships is through seating arrangements. In a randomized control trial, van den Berg, Segers, and Cillessen (2012) found that closer proximity in the classroom can reduce disliking…

Even when enrolled in general education classes, students with complex communication challenges may remain socially isolated from their classmates when receiving one-to-one paraprofessional support. We evaluated the efficacy and social validity of an intervention package incorporating paraprofessional facilitation, peer initiation, and increased…