Jason Runnells.

Educational & Residential Equity of California

A web application and statistical analysis exploring education and residential equity across California

Jason Runnells | July, 2025

Overview

This project explores educational and residential equity across California by analyzing public school performance alongside housing and income data at the county and census tract levels. Using CAASPP scores for English Language Arts and Mathematics, combined with U.S. Census indicators such as median income, home value, and housing costs, the project highlights how place-based disparities shape educational opportunity. A key variable is housing cost burden, defined by HUD as the percentage of income spent on housing—used here to assess affordability across communities. By mapping these indicators spatially, this project reveals patterns of inequality and helps contextualize how socioeconomic conditions relate to student achievement across the state.

Web Application

This web app lets users explore patterns of educational and housing inequality across California. Built with MapLibre and custom filters, it brings together test scores, income, home values, and housing costs into one interactive tool. Users can adjust sliders to highlight different ranges and toggle layers like tracts or schools to see how geography, education, and affordability intersect. The goal was to build something that not only visualizes data clearly, but also helps people ask better questions about equity at the state, county, and neighborhood level. Statistical analysis follows the application for those interested in exploring the data in more detail.

LEGEND

School
Layer Controls

Toggle map layers to show or hide tracts, counties, or schools.

Education Filters

Use the sliders to filter schools by proficiency.

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Residential Filters

Use the sliders to filter areas based on local housing and income statistics.

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$250,001
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Statistical Analysis

This section presents a series of charts that highlight key trends in education and housing across California. By summarizing relationships between test scores, income, home values, housing costs, and cost burden, these visualizations offer a clearer view of how geographic and economic factors shape educational opportunity. The data is organized by state, county, and census tract levels to provide multiple perspectives on the patterns and disparities uncovered in the analysis.

State Overview

The statewide CAASPP scores in English Language Arts and Mathematics establish a benchmark for academic performance across California. These charts provide a broad view of student achievement and help frame the more detailed regional and local patterns that follow. They serve as a reference point for evaluating how different areas compare to the state overall.

CA Statewide CAASPP Scores (English Language Arts)

This chart shows how students across California performed in English Language Arts based on the latest CAASPP data. It provides a statewide benchmark for academic achievement.

This chart shows how students across California performed in English Language Arts based on the latest CAASPP data. It provides a statewide benchmark for academic achievement.

CA Statewide CAASPP Scores (Mathematics)

This chart displays student performance in Mathematics across the state. Together with the ELA scores, it helps set the context for comparing regional and local outcomes.

This chart displays student performance in Mathematics across the state. Together with the ELA scores, it helps set the context for comparing regional and local outcomes.

County Overview

County-level analysis begins to reveal the relationships between educational outcomes and economic conditions. By comparing median income with average CAASPP scores, we can see how student performance often improves in wealthier counties. Symbols in these charts are weighted by population, giving more visual weight to areas with larger student populations. The additional comparison of income and home value highlights regional differences in housing affordability, offering further insight into the socioeconomic landscape shaping educational opportunity.

Median Income vs. Average CAASPP Scores (ELA) by County

This chart compares average English Language Arts scores with median household income across counties. Each symbol is weighted by population, allowing larger counties to carry greater visual emphasis.

This chart compares average English Language Arts scores with median household income across counties. Each symbol is weighted by population, allowing larger counties to carry greater visual emphasis.

Median Income vs. Average CAASPP Scores (Math) by County

This chart shows how math performance varies with income across California counties. Symbols are scaled based on population, giving a more accurate visual representation of how many students are affected by each region's conditions.

This chart compares average English Language Arts scores with median household income across counties. Each symbol is weighted by population, allowing larger counties to carry greater visual emphasis.

Tract Overview

At the census tract level, disparities become more pronounced. These charts show how student test scores relate to income and housing costs at a neighborhood scale, uncovering patterns that are often hidden in county-wide averages. Tract-level data helps pinpoint where educational and economic inequalities are most concentrated, providing a finer resolution for understanding how local conditions influence student outcomes.

Median Income vs. Average CAASPP Scores (ELA) by Tract

This chart examines English Language Arts scores at the census tract level compared to income. It reveals local disparities that might be hidden in county-wide averages.

This chart examines English Language Arts scores at the census tract level compared to income. It reveals local disparities that might be hidden in county-wide averages.

Median Income vs. Average CAASPP Scores (ELA) by Tract

This chart shows how math performance varies with income at the neighborhood scale. It helps pinpoint areas where students may be underserved.

This chart shows how math performance varies with income at the neighborhood scale. It helps pinpoint areas where students may be underserved.

Median Income vs. Median Home Value by Tract

This chart looks at the link between income and home value at the tract level, offering insight into housing affordability and how it relates to neighborhood wealth.

This chart looks at the link between income and home value at the tract level, offering insight into housing affordability and how it relates to neighborhood wealth.

Conclusion

This project provides insight into how student performance, memdian hosehold income, and housing affordability connect across California. By examining these factors at multiple scales, it becomes clear that access to educational opportunity is often tied to where people live, and/or can afford to live.

While the project doesn't claim to explain every cause or offer every solution, it provides a starting point for asking better questions; questions about how education and housing intersect, and how we might move toward greater equity across both.

Credits