Final answer:
Since the peak of the busing movement aimed at desegregating schools, there has been a complex interplay leading to both integration and re-segregation. The end of forced busing in the late 1990s, paired with white flight, has contributed to the persistence of de facto segregation in schools.
Step-by-step explanation:
The trend in public schools since the height of the busing era has been complex, with movements toward greater integration initially, but also contributing to patterns that have led to renewed segregation. The ambitious goal to desegregate schools through busing, which involved transporting students to schools outside of their neighborhoods, faced significant public resistance and challenges. Over time, various factors including "white flight" to the suburbs and the establishment of private academies that admitted only White students led to a de facto segregation that has persisted to varying degrees into the present.
Desegregation through busing achieved some success in increasing racial integration in schools. However, due to strong opposition, logistical issues, and the unintended consequence of white flight, many United States schools have experienced a re-segregation trend.
Busing initiated vital cross-racial interactions and friendships in some cases, though these were often superficial. As the last forced busing programs ended by the late 1990s, many urban and suburban school districts were deemed to have achieved enough integration, but the legacy and challenges of De Facto segregation remain.