Data and Code for "School Boards and Education Production: Evidence from Randomized Ballot Order"

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Ying Shi, Syracuse University; John Singleton, University of Rochester

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
  ado 12/14/2021 09:28:AM
  code 12/17/2021 11:41:AM
  data 12/14/2021 10:15:AM
  results 12/14/2021 09:28:AM
Readme.pdf application/pdf 70.8 KB 12/17/2021 10:26:AM

Project Citation: 

Shi, Ying, and Singleton, John. Data and Code for “School Boards and Education Production: Evidence from Randomized Ballot Order.” Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2023. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2023-01-26. https://doi.org/10.3886/E157261V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary We examine the causal influence of educators elected to the school board on local education production. The key empirical challenge is that school board composition is endogenously determined through the electoral process. To overcome this, we develop a novel research design that leverages California's randomized assignment of the order that candidate names appear on election ballots. We find that an additional educator elected to the school board reduces charter schooling and increases teacher salaries in the school district relative to other board members. We interpret these findings as consistent with educator board members shifting bargaining in favor of teachers' unions.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms school boards; education production; teachers unions; ballot order
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      D72 Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
      H42 Publicly Provided Private Goods
      H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
      I21 Analysis of Education
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage California
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 1996 – 2018
Collection Date(s):  View help for Collection Date(s) 2014 – 2020
Universe:  View help for Universe Local school boards
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) administrative records data; observational data

Methodology

Sampling:  View help for Sampling Schools boards in California with contested elections for seats over time.
Data Source:  View help for Data Source Numerous publicly-available education records from California as well as election and ballot order information. Please see paper for full details and citations.
Unit(s) of Observation:  View help for Unit(s) of Observation School boards (distinct school district-election year combinations)
Geographic Unit:  View help for Geographic Unit School-grade-years

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Published Versions

V1 [2023-01-26]

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