New Jersey school segregation case back in court as judges weigh potential constitutional violation

Judges in a New Jersey court are deliberating whether the state's own enrollment data is sufficient to demonstrate a constitutional violation of racial segregation in public schools. The case, stemming from a 2018 lawsuit by civil rights groups and families, argues that the state's requirement for most children to attend schools within their existing districts perpetuates racial segregation in violation of the state constitution.

Plaintiffs contend that an average of 46% of students statewide attended schools where over 90% of students were nonwhite each year from 2015-16 to 2019-20. They also point to decades of "pervasive" segregation in New Jersey's public schools. The state counters that enrollment numbers alone cannot establish a constitutional violation and calls for a more detailed examination of individual districts.

The hearing comes after over a year of unsuccessful mediation and a July 2025 agreement by the state appeals court to review the ruling. Plaintiffs argue that the trial court improperly required them to prove unconstitutional segregation throughout the entire state, not just in 23 "severely segregated" districts. The case has significant implications for Newark and neighboring Essex County municipalities, where predominantly Black and Latino districts are located near wealthier, majority-white suburban districts.