No Spending without Representation: School Boards and the Racial Gap in Education Finance

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Fischer, Brett
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California Berkeley
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7731
• DOI: 10.1257/pol.20200475
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 198-235
• 关键词: latino representation; ballot order; POLICY; grants; desegregation; CONSTRUCTION; segregation; attainment; POLITICS; impacts

摘要

This paper provides causal evidence that greater minority repre-sentation on school boards translates into greater investment in minority students. Focusing on California school boards, I instru-ment for minority (specifically, Hispanic) representation using ran-dom ballot ordering and leverage new data from a statewide capital investment program to capture intradistrict resource allocations. I show that Hispanic board members invest the marginal dollar in high-Hispanic schools within their districts. High-Hispanic schools also exhibit gains in student achievement and decreased teacher turnover. I conclude that enhancing minority representa-tion on school boards could help combat long-standing disparities in education. JEL (H75, I21, I22, I24, J15)