Hurricane Harvey and Exclusion From State STAAR Testing in Houston, Texas

• In Event: Academic Outcomes During Times of Crises. Hanging Onto Hope: Studying the Dynamics of Schooling in Times of Crisis

Abstract

As natural disasters become more frequent and severe owing to climate change, it is increasingly important to understand their impacts on students. In prior work on Hurricane Harvey in Houston, we found that students who became homeless after Harvey experienced larger gains in achievement than non-homeless students. In this study, we investigate whether this finding may be due to increased exclusion from state testing. Using an interrupted time series design with school fixed effects, we find that exclusion rates actually decreased substantially after Harvey, although they were slightly higher in schools with more homeless students. We discuss possible explanations, including the temporary shift to a low-stakes exam and reduction of stereotype threat, as well as avenues for future research.

Authors

• Rachael Nicole Becker, Southern Methodist University

• Meredith Paige Richards, Southern Methodist University

• Alexandra E. Pavlakis, Southern Methodist University

• Kessa Roberts, Southern Methodist University

• Maria Jose Hernandez, Southern Methodist University