RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 School Climate and the Impact of Neighborhood Crime on Test Scores
JF RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences
FD Russell Sage Foundation
SP 141
OP 166
DO 10.7758/RSF.2019.5.2.08
VO 5
IS 2
A1 Agustina Laurito
A1 Johanna Lacoe
A1 Amy Ellen Schwartz
A1 Patrick Sharkey
A1 Ingrid Gould Ellen
YR 2019
UL http://www.rsfjournal.org/content/5/2/141.abstract
AB Does school climate ameliorate or exacerbate the impact of neighborhood violent crime on test scores? Using administrative data from the New York City Department of Education and the New York City Police Department, we find that exposure to violence in the residential neighborhood and an unsafe climate at school lead to substantial test score losses in English language arts (ELA). Middle school students exposed to neighborhood violent crime before the ELA exam who attend schools perceived to be less safe or to have a weak sense of community score 0.06 and 0.03 standard deviations lower, respectively. We find the largest negative effects for boys and Hispanic students in the least safe schools, and no effect of neighborhood crime for students attending schools with better climates.