California schools are the nation’s most segregated, despite voluntary busing programs

California has the most segregated school system in the continental U.S., with a quadrupling of 'intensely segregated' schools over three decades. Voluntary busing programs like the Tinsley Voluntary Transfer Program have failed to address segregation effectively, as they move few students and exacerbate poverty concentration in source districts. Students in segregated schools show significantly lower college readiness rates compared to peers in less segregated schools.