School segregation in Latin America. What is studied and how is it investigated?

The article presents a review of research on school segregation in Latin America, based on an analysis of the scientific activity published since 2006. The bibliographic search was carried out through international open access databases obtaining a sample of 86 studies from Chile (30), Argentina (12), Peru (12), Brazil (11), Colombia (3), Mexico (3), Uruguay (2), Ecuador (1) and the Dominican Republic (1), in addition to some comparative studies (11). Three dimensions of analysis are proposed, material analyzed, types of segregation being studied, and methods used. Of the types of segregation studied, research on socioeconomic level (80%) stands out, followed by ethnic-cultural segregation (which includes ethnic-racial and by immigrant/native origin) and, to a lesser extent, studies on academic segregation. Quantitative methodologies are the most used (56%) and involve the use of segregation indexes with databases mainly from national and international standardized evaluations. Qualitative and mixed-method studies were also identified. It is concluded that research on school segregation is increasing in the region. This is due in part to the availability of reliable data bases, as well as an interest in generating evidence to contribute to the construction of more equitable and inclusive education systems.