Research Opportunity: Improving Racial Equity in the School Closure Process in California
This research opportunity is part of the Urban Studies Research Program. Students who participate will work with their faculty mentor, and will also share their findings at a research symposium with students and faculty working on other projects. To learn more about the Urban Studies Research Program, see our website.
Project Title: Improving Racial Equity in the School Closure Process in California
Faculty Member: Francis A. Pearman
Abstract: The purpose of this project is to study school closures in California, with an eye toward generating insights and tools that can help district leaders prioritize racial equity, including the needs, rights, and preferences of Black students and communities when making decisions about if, how, when, and where to close school sites. With this project, we propose to explore the issue of school closures in California through a racial equity lens. We intend to build upon existing and emerging research, exploring the answers to the following research questions: What are historical patterns of school closures in California, and which student groups and neighborhoods, by racial demographics, have closures most impacted? Which districts and communities are at greatest risk of school closures given current and projected enrollment trends? What policy alternatives exist for districts considering school closures?
- RAs will assist in conducting literature searches, writing literature reviews, and will help conduct descriptive analyses.
Qualifications:
Qualified students will have an interest in education and education policy. The ability to work independently, take initiative, and to pay close attention to detail are key requirements for this position. Experience using quantitative datasets is desirable but is not a requirement for this position.
Enrollment & Academic Standing
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Students must be current undergraduates in good standing at Stanford.
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Students must be enrolled in units while using VPUE grant funding, except during the Summer.
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Students may not receive both academic units and a stipend for any single project activity.
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Co-terms who have not conferred their undergraduate degree and who are still paying undergraduate (not graduate) tuition are eligible for VPUE funding.
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Students may not be serving a suspension.
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Students may not be on a Leave of Absence (LOA) while using grant funding.
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VPUE does not use a GPA requirement for student eligibility, nor does VPUE encourage the use of GPA as a criterion for inclusion in a research opportunity.
Quarters Available:
- Spring, part-time
Stipend:
Part-time projects: $1500 per quarter; 10 hours / week.
