The effect of school desegregation on white enrollment losses is assessed for 43 large school districts that desegregated between 1968 and 1976. The impact of desegregation is considered within a theoretical framework in which predictor variables are grouped into three basic categories-exit, voice, and loyalty. Several exit-related variables proved to be important contributors to white enrollment decline measured both at the year of desegregation implementation and for an average three-year period thereafter. Desegregation-yearwhite losses were primarily the result of percentage minority in the district, desegregation change, size of district, and predesegregation enrollment decline. The only nonexit variable to reach statistical significance was desegregation resistance. Postdesegregation white student outmigration was affected by substantially similar forces except that predesegregation enrollment change was not important.
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