Research

Job Market Paper

Safety for Whom? How Law Enforcement and School Resource Officer Training Impacts Racial Gaps in School Exclusionary Discipline (Link to downloadable pdf)

Abstract: Do race-neutral school safety policies have race-neutral impacts? In this paper, I present novel findings on the effects of statewide law enforcement credential and special training requirements for school resource officers (SROs) on Black-White gaps in suspensions, expulsions, law enforcement referrals, and school-related arrests (i.e., school exclusion). I answer these questions using data from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights' 2013-14 through 2020-21 Civil Rights Data Collection school-level surveys and supplementary sources. The study leverages state and time variation in adopting SRO credential and training statutes between 2014-15 and 2020-21. The analysis compares Black-White school exclusion gaps in majority and minority Black middle and high schools with SROs between treated and untreated schools. I estimate average treatment effects on the treated using an advanced difference-in-difference method, clustered by state. The results indicate that requiring SROs to hold sworn law enforcement credentials more than doubles racial gaps in suspensions and law enforcement referrals in majority Black schools but not in minority Black schools and that SRO training policies have no significant relationship with racial school exclusion gaps. I then evaluate whether racial differences in school exclusion outcomes result from individual behaviors and cultural norms or structural factors like systemic discrimination—the first study to assess whether individualist or structuralist explanations underlying the relationship between SROs and racial disparities in school discipline better explain the findings. The findings suggest the need for structural, race-conscious policy changes to address racial disparities in school discipline.

Other Working Papers

Does Investing in Schools Reduce Violent Crime? (with Jamein P. Cunningham and Kenneth D. Whaley)

*Draft is available upon request

Abstract: This study investigates whether increased funding for public schools can reduce violent crime exposure among Black males in the United States. Recognizing that local governments often face trade-offs between school funding and public safety, we examine the impact of increased state funding during the school finance reform era. State finance reforms aimed at disadvantaged communities led to significant cash infusions for low-income school districts. Our findings reveal that counties with higher shares of low-income school districts experienced a relative decrease in homicide rates for young Black males following these reforms. Additionally, the reform-induced increase in school spending contributed to a broader decline in homicides among Black men of all ages from 1970 to 2010. These results suggest that investing in education can play a crucial role in reducing violent crime and addressing racial disparities in crime victimization.

Investigating Racial Inequity in School Suspensions and Its Compounding Effects in the Labor Market

*Draft is available upon request

Abstract: Success in the labor market is often contingent upon access to educational resources. Black students, however, are disproportionately denied these resources due to school suspensions and are also more likely to face labor market discrimination as adults. This paper investigates the relationship between racial disparities in school suspensions and adult employment and earnings. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth – 1997 Cohort, I examine the intersection of race, school suspensions, and labor market outcomes to understand how suspensions impact long-term employment prospects for Black and White individuals. I employ two-way fixed effects models to identify the relationships between K-12 suspension and post-secondary employment and earnings. Descriptive results demonstrate that suspensions are related to increased unemployment, decreased weeks and hours worked, and decreased earned income. Black individuals who were ever suspended are more likely to work fewer weeks and hours and earn lower income than White individuals who were ever suspended. Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions suggest that suspension may explain part of the racial gaps in post-secondary labor outcomes. However, the unexplained portion of the gap remains after including other characteristics. The insights from this study illuminate how racial inequality in education exacerbates economic disparities later in life. Additionally, this research has significant implications for policies addressing racial inequality within hierarchical systems such as education and the labor market.

Works in Progress

The Impact of Indiana's Governor's Work Ethic Certificate on Post-Secondary Education and Employment (with Chloe R. Gibbs and Abigail Wozniak)

Abstract: Due to asymmetric information, employers often need help assessing high school graduates' employability. To address this, Indiana developed the Governor's Work Ethic Certificate (GWEC), an initiative for twelfth-grade students to demonstrate skills and characteristics valued by employers. Recognized by local employers and post-secondary institutions, the GWEC aims to assist students in securing employment or admission to further education. With support from the Smith Richardson Foundation, this study evaluates the potential impact of the GWEC on post-secondary jobs and wages by analyzing program data from select participating schools linked with state administrative workforce records. We estimate the local average treatment effect on employment and earnings using a regression discontinuity design based on the GWEC completion criteria. We also investigate racial differences in the benefits of completing the GWEC initiative. The findings could inform improvements to the GWEC program and provide a model for similar workforce development programs in other states, ultimately enhancing high school graduates' transition into the workforce.

Evaluating the Causal Relationships between Literacy and School Discipline (with Paul Glewwe)

Abstract: Does low literacy cause more school discipline, or do disciplinary issues cause lower literacy? This study investigates the causal relationships between literacy and school discipline by asking this question. Using administrative data from a midsize school district in Minnesota, we employ rigorous causal inference methods to estimate the impacts of literacy levels on school discipline rates and vice versa. By quantifying these effects bidirectionally, we aim to identify which direction has the most substantial influence. Additionally, we explore racial differences in these relationships to understand potential disparities among student groups. Our study contributes to the education policy landscape by shedding light on the root causes of literacy and discipline issues, offering insights that can inform targeted reforms. By clarifying the causal pathways, our findings seek to enhance interventions to improve educational outcomes and reduce disparities in school discipline practices.

Racial Disparities in the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Investigating the Impacts of South Carolina’s School Disturbance Law (with Ashley Rojas)

Abstract: The school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) encompasses the policies and processes that remove students from the U.S. K-12 education system and place them into the juvenile or adult carceral system. Black students are disproportionately more likely to experience the STPP than White students. In our study, we use a unique South Carolina law criminalizing school disturbances and administrative data from the Department of Juvenile Justice to provide empirical evidence of the racial disparities in the STPP. Using variations in the letter and interpretation of the law over time, we estimate the effects of the school disturbance law on racial differences in referrals to the criminal/legal system. The findings from our analysis could inform current reform efforts combatting the broad use of this statute.

Non-Peer Reviewed Publication

Davis, M. E. (2024). “Black Economics: Reclaiming the Narrative for Economic Revitalization”. In M. Brown, J. Dieck, S. C. Golden, H. J. King, & A. Parede-Beaulieu (Eds.), SPARK: Rejuvenation in Academic Research (Vol. 4). Published by the Community of Scholars Program Writing Initiative. Retrieved from https://sparkezine.com/2024/04/05/black-economics-reclaiming-the-narrative-for-economic-revitalization/