Delayed Benefits: Effects of California School District Bond Elections on Achievement by Socioeconomic Status. Issue 2 (April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rauscher, Emily
• Is Part Of: Sociology of education. Volume 93:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 110
• Page End: 131
• Publication Date: 2020-04
• Subjects: funding of schools -- regression discontinuity -- socioeconomic inequality -- local school district revenue -- school facilities; Educational sociology -- Periodicals; 306.43
• DOI: 10.1177/0038040719892577
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-0407

Abstract

Contradictory evidence of the relationship between education funding and student achievement could reflect heterogeneous effects by revenue source or student characteristics. This study examines potential heterogeneous effects of a particular type of local revenue—bond funds for capital investments—on achievement by socioeconomic status. Comparing California school districts within a narrow window on either side of the cutoff of voter support required to pass a general obligation bond measure, I use dynamic regression discontinuity models to estimate effects of passing a bond on academic achievement among low- and high-socioeconomic-status (SES) students. Results consistently suggest that passing a bond increases achievement among low- but not high-SES students. However, these benefits for low-SES students are delayed and emerge six years after an election. Effects are larger in low-income districts and in small districts, where benefits of capital investments are experienced by a larger proportion of students.