We are looking forward to the Fall semester! Make sure to check
out our new Policy Briefs on the impact of early life events on
children, what difference small class size makes, and who uses
school vouchers.
To grow up in poverty can have a lasting impact on a child. What
is less understood is how it affects the early relationships that
shape a child’s social and emotional growth.
Smaller classes help students, many argue, especially those most
“at risk.” Research shows that on average this is true. However,
when “risk” is defined beyond ethnicity or socioeconomic status,
the picture of who most benefits becomes less clear.
Research suggests that violence and low academic performance in
public schools play a big role in a family’s decision to use
state-funded vouchers to send their children to a private school.
However, little research has considered the impact of nearby
private and public school markets.
Jacob Hibel received his degree in Sociology and Demography from
Pennsylvania State University in 2009. His research focuses on
the causes and consequences of childhood educational
inequalities, including those related to poverty, disability,
race/ethnicity, immigrant generation status, and spatial
segregation.
