What’s in a Label? The Long-Term Effects of Student Labels

• In Event: 4451 - Section on Sociology of Education Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 min): Table 8: Teachers, Schools, and Health

Abstract

Students receive labels on their performance on statewide tests, but there is a dearth of research on how this information impacts future academic achievement and behavioral outcomes. Employing a regression discontinuity approach, I find that students with a more negative label have lower test scores over time and increased school absences five years later. I also find that the likelihood of suspension increases in the following year, but not over time. By using a regression discontinuity design to address concerns around selection, my analyses estimate plausibly causal effects, and suggest that a negative performance label has long-term negative effects.

Author

• Tanya Sanabria, California State University-Los Angeles