Crossing the Line: Segregation and Resource Inequality Between America’s School Districts
In America, it’s common for children living just one mile apart to experience different educational outcomes. Why? Historical segregation.
Redrawing School Boundaries for Fairer Funding
Across the United States, school funding is deeply tied to property values. This system means that students living just blocks apart can receive dramatically different levels of educational investment—reinforcing racial and economic segregation.
These invisible boundaries shape opportunity for millions of children. Yet most families and policymakers rarely see how district lines perpetuate inequality.
To make this reality visible, New America launched Crossing the Line, an interactive data visualization project that maps disparities between neighboring school districts.
By combining housing data, poverty rates, and education funding information, the project shows how arbitrary borders can lock students into under-resourced systems. It transforms abstract statistics into powerful, accessible stories that communities can use to advocate for change.
Since its release, Crossing the Line has helped educators, journalists, and policymakers better understand structural inequities in K–12 education—and has fueled conversations about redistricting, funding reform, and regional collaboration.