School Violent Crime and Academic Achievement in Chicago

Abstract

Educational outcomes vary dramatically across schools in the United States. Many under-performing schools, especially in Chicago, also deal with high levels of violent crime on school grounds. Exposure to this type of frequent violence may be an important factor shaping already disadvantaged students’ educational experiences. However, estimating the effect of school violence on learning is difficult due to potential selection bias and the confounding of other school-level problems. Using detailed crime data from the Chicago Police Department, complete administrative records from the Chicago Public Schools, and school climate surveys conducted by the Consortium on Chicago School Research (2002–10), this study exploits variation in violent crime rates within schools over time to estimate its effect on academic achievement. School and neighborhood fixed-effects models show that violent crime rates have a negative effect on test scores, but not on grades. This effect is more likely related to direct reductions in learning, through cognitive stress and classroom disruptions, than changes in perceived safety, general school climate, or discipline practices.

Neighborhood Violent Crime and Academic Growth in Chicago: Lasting Effects of Early Exposure

“…Interactions with each year dummy variable show very similar results, but are much more difficult to interpret and do not fit the data as well as the linear interactions. Similar models were used in Keels, Burdick-Will, and Keene (2013) to test the relationship between gentrification and school-level improvement over a decade long period.…”

“…Even as objective violent crime rates go up and down and residents move in and out, the reputation for risk in an area remains relatively stable (Sampson 2012). For example, despite dramatic changes in the violent crime rate on school grounds, students’ reports of perceived school safety change very little from year to year (Burdick-Will 2013). This suggests that the patterns of social interaction formed in early childhood may be difficult to break.…”

Characterization of School Climate Perception in Mexican Middle School Students

“…So, from the epidemiological point of view, it would be possible to say that the Mexican middle school students might be at risk to develop future academic, psychologic or behavioral problems because of the negative perception of the school climate dimensions (Zullig, Collins, Ghani, Patton, Huebner, & Ajamie, 2014;Burdick, 2013;Esselmont, 2014).…”

“…It represents an important construct in school life because it stablishes the socially acceptable behavior in the school, shaping the interactions between the school members (students, teachers and parents) and influencing its development in different aspects. In the student's case, several studies had found that school climate perception plays an important role on their academic, psychological and behavioral development (Dotterer & Lowe, 2011;Berger, Álamos, Milicic, & Alcalay, 2013;Iachini, Buettner, Anderson, & Reno, 2013;Burdick, 2013;Esselmont, 2014). For the staff, it affects topics such as work engagement and satisfaction, along with the perceived occupational health (Gregory, Cornell, & Fan, 2012;Blömeke & Klein, 2013;Song, Kim, Chai, & Bae, 2014).…”

Building a National Culture of Health: Background, Action Framework, Measures, and Next Steps

“…In communities, perceived safety affects outdoor physical activity and recreation. In individuals, negative safety perceptions can increase acute or chronic stress and/or anxiety (Burdick-Will, 2013). Overall, feeling unsafe in one's community can create numerous barriers to healthy living.…”