Concentrated Neighborhood Poverty's Effect on High School Graduation Rates at the District Level

• In Event: Communities, Neighborhoods, and Educational Opportunity

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of concentrated neighborhood poverty on school district graduation rates. Drawing on data from the American Community Survey (2009-13), Census Tiger/LINE shape files (2013), and EdFacts (2011-12), the study uses propensity score matching and weighted regression to generate its results. Findings indicate that overall graduation rates are about 2.5 percentage points lower (effect size of 0.25) and economically disadvantaged student graduation rates are about 3 percentage points lower (effect size of 0.26) in high concentrated neighborhood poverty school districts than they would be otherwise. The study investigates heterogeneity in causal effects across treatment and control cases and discusses the implications of the study findings for district effectiveness research, school reform, and education policymaking.

Author

• Daniel Princiotta, Johns Hopkins University