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

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  • Brett Fischer

Abstract

This paper provides causal evidence that greater minority representation on school boards translates into greater investment in minority students. Focusing on California school boards, I instrument for minority (specifically, Hispanic) representation using random 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 representation on school boards could help combat long-standing disparities in education.

Suggested Citation

  • Brett Fischer, 2023. "No Spending without Representation: School Boards and the Racial Gap in Education Finance," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 198-235, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:198-235
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20200475
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    Cited by:

    1. Navid Sabet, 2023. "Out of the Shadows and into the Classroom: Immigrant Legalization, Hispanic Schooling and Hispanic Representation on School Boards," CESifo Working Paper Series 10677, CESifo.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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