Study Finds Asian American Parents Prioritize Schools with Large Population of Asian Students, Citing Academic Rigor and Safety

When parents are deciding which schools are best for their children, they consider a multitude of factors such as reputation, safety, curriculum, and class size. One of the most influential factors is demographics, as parents tend to favor schools with a student majority whose race is the same as their children’s.

In a recent study, researchers interviewed Asian American parents to determine how ideas about diversity and racial attitudes influence their choice of schools. They found that participants favored schools with greater numbers of Asian American students, citing beliefs consistent with the model minority myth, suggesting that Asian students have stronger educational values and a stronger work ethic than other non-white groups. They also cited concerns about discrimination.

“Research shows that school integration can decrease academic gaps between racial groups, reduce prejudice, and increase social cohesion,” says senior author Adriana Villavicencio, assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies at NYU Steinhardt. “However, these policies often fail when they don't account for parent buy-in. By highlighting the voices and perspectives of parents who are typically underrepresented in education research, this study seeks to understand the factors that support or undermine efforts to create more equitable school systems.”

Researchers interviewed 34 parents in a large, urban school district with a school ranking system who identified as Asian American, and whose children were entering kindergarten, sixth grade, or ninth grade. These participants were a subset of a larger sample of 1,865 parents applying for schools in the 2022–2023 school year who completed a survey about their choices. 

For this study, the parents answered questions related to their personal backgrounds, familiarity with the district’s enrollment policies, school selection, and their decision-making processes in ranking their preferred schools. Interviews were conducted in English or Mandarin, based on the parents’ preferences.