Exploring the history of systemic racism rooted in longstanding policies, practices, and unfair treatment of African Americans can explain present-day disproportionality. Desegregating schools following the 1954 Brown v. Board decision was long, arduous, and contentious. Despite desegregation efforts, the return to neighborhood schools, residential segregation, court rulings, and district student assignment and choice plans, school segregation has increased. Rumberger and Palardy argue that students in segregated schools are primarily poor, and that socioeconomic status significantly affects student achievement. Furthermore, children who are experiencing poverty are at greater risk of encountering trauma and barriers to maximizing educational opportunities for success. In this chapter, the authors explore these traumatic experiences, which are prevalent in segregated areas of concentrated poverty. The authors highlight the need for authentic integration for access and trauma-informed practices to mitigate the effects of acute and chronic stress and foster resilience.