(iPoster) An Analysis of Party and Power in State Education Agencies

• In Event: Poster Session: Legislative Studies & Politics in the American States
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Politics in the American States

Abstract

State Educational Agencies (SEAs) occupy a distinctive position in state politics, shaping accountability, assessment, and development within local education agencies (LEAs, also referred to as School Boards). Yet, their activities within national and local contexts remain underexplored. Compared to well-researched offices such as governors (Caughey et al, 2017), mayors (Benedictis-Kessner and Warshaw, 2016), and even school boards (Allen et al, 2005), the literature has largely overlooked the political and partisan dimensions of SEAs across the 50 states. This paper seeks to address two key questions regarding the role of partisanship in shaping SEA outcomes, using a difference-in-differences design. First, does the dominant partisan makeup of an SEA influence charter school shares, and if so, how does this vary by political affiliation? Second, does political affiliation determine success in securing discretionary federal grants? The findings reveal that in states where SEAs are elected, a shift toward a more Democratic board is associated with a moderate increase in charter school shares. Additionally, political affiliation plays a sizable role in federal grant outcomes: Republican-controlled SEAs are notably less likely to secure competitive federal grants for educational resources, even after accounting for grant availability and presidential party. This work sheds light on the influence of SEAs, demonstrating their capacity to reshape the school choice landscape and influence their own political economy through partisan dynamics.

Author

• Sara Bornstein, The George Washington University