Working Papers

Hailey, Chantal A. “But is it Good for Black Students?: An Analysis of Black Student Belonging Relates to Black Families’ School Choices” Under Review,Working Paper Available Upon Request

Qualitative research suggests that anti-Blackness leads Black families to prioritize whether schools are specifically ‘good for Black students.’ Yet quantitative school choice studies overlook how schools treat Black students. This study examines whether Black families’ school selections relate to elements of Black belonging by analyzing applications to NYC high schools. Findings reveal that, adjusting for school curriculum, location, and violence, Black families prefer schools with greater Black belonging. Families avoid applying to schools with few Black students and teachers, limited Black extracurriculars, and unwelcoming environments for Black families. In subsequent decision phases, they prefer schools with more Black peers, lower Black-student discipline rates, and greater inclusion of Black parents. Findings have important implications for school choice policy and school quality frameworks.

Candipan, Jennifer and Chantal A. Hailey  “Widening Disparities in Changing Places: The Relationship between Changing Racial Demographics of Neighborhoods and Racial Disparities in School Discipline” Revise and Resubmit, Working Paper Available Upon Request

The racial landscape of U.S. neighborhoods shifted tremendously over the past decade, raising questions about how these changes are reflected in local schools. This study combines school zone shapefiles with census and Civil Rights Database data to explore whether neighborhood racial change in Black populations predict changes in Black–White disparities in school suspension from 2010 to 2018. We ask whether these relationships depend on the initial neighborhood racial composition and urban, suburban, or rural location. We find that racial disparities in suspensions increased, particularly in neighborhoods experiencing substantial shifts in Black populations. These increases were especially pronounced in suburban and rural areas with shifting Black populations and all predominantly White neighborhoods. Although school discipline reforms aimed to reduce racial disparities, Black-White suspension rate disparities only declined in certain types of neighborhoods, most notably urban areas.   Our findings advance insights on processes of neighborhood and school change, school discipline, and racial stratification, with broad policy implications.

Rene Crespin and Chantal A. Hailey. Preferences for Academic and Non-Academic School Information: Evidence from NYC Families’ Ranked Lists of School. Working Paper Available Upon Request

Hailey, Chantal A. No Quick Fix: Experimental Evidence on the Effects of School Safety Information on Racialized Perceptions and Preferences for Schools. Working Paper Available Upon Request