# Contextual Stochastic Optimization for School Desegregation Policymaking

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.12572 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.12572/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 22 Aug 2024.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Student Flow Modeling for School Decongestion via Stochastic Gravity Estimation and Constrained Spatial Allocation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.17972/) (2026)
- [Transit Network Design with Two-Level Demand Uncertainties: A Machine Learning and Contextual Stochastic Optimization Framework](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.00010/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Most US school districts draw geographic "attendance zones" to assign children to schools based on their home address, a process that can replicate existing neighborhood racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) segregation in schools. Redrawing boundaries can reduce segregation, but estimating expected rezoning impacts is often challenging because families can opt-out of their assigned schools. This paper seeks to alleviate this societal problem by developing a joint redistricting and choice modeling framework, called Redistricting with Choices (RWC). The RWC framework is applied to a large US public school district to estimate how redrawing elementary school boundaries might realistically impact levels of socioeconomic segregation. The main methodological contribution of RWC is a contextual stochastic optimization model that aims to minimize district-wide segregation by integrating rezoning constraints with a machine learning-based school choice model. The study finds that RWC yields boundary changes that might reduce segregation by a substantial amount (23%) -- but doing so might require the re-assignment of a large number of students, likely to mitigate re-segregation that choice patterns could exacerbate. The results also reveal that predicting school choice is a challenging machine learning problem. Overall, this study offers a novel practical framework that both academics and policymakers might use to foster more diverse and integrated schools.