Browsing by Author "Delaney, Patrick Prescott"
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- College Match and Undermatch: Assessing Student Preferences, College Proximity, and Inequality in Post-College OutcomesOvink, Sarah; Kalogrides, D.; Nanney, Megan Paige; Delaney, Patrick Prescott (2018-08)Recently, multiple studies have focused on the phenomenon of “undermatching”—when students attend a college for which they are overqualified, as measured by test scores and grades. The extant literature suggests that students who undermatch fail to maximize their potential. However, gaps remain in our knowledge about how student preferences—such as a desire to attend college close to home—influence differential rates of undermatching. Moreover, previous research has not directly tested whether and to what extent students who undermatch experience more negative post-college outcomes than otherwise similar students who attend “match” colleges. Using ELS:2002, we find that student preferences for low-cost, nearby colleges, particularly among low-income students, are associated with higher rates of undermatching even among students who are qualified to attend a “very selective” institution. However, this relationship is weakened when students live within 50 miles of a match college, demonstrating that proximity matters. Our results show that attending a selective postsecondary institution does influence post-college employment and earnings, with less positive results for students who undermatch as compared with peers who do not. Our findings demonstrate the importance of non-academic factors in shaping college decisions and post-college outcomes, particularly for low-income students.
- What Do Parents Want? Factors Affecting Parental Decisions in Charter School EnrollmentDelaney, Patrick Prescott (Virginia Tech, 2008-04-29)As an avenue of educational reform and organizational restructuring within public education, school choice has gained in popularity over the last twenty years. The charter school movement, in particular, has enjoyed a high growth rate since its introduction in 1992. Advocates of charter schools claim the schools' regulatory freedom and unique structure foster improved academic performance and educational success. However, the literature shows charter school students' performance is typically below and, at best, on par with that of neighboring public school peers. Given this mismatch of purported academic advantage and observed performance, this study aims to add to the literature by explaining why parents choose charter schools and remain in charter schools. Using the Texas Education Agency's 2006 Survey of Charter School and Traditional School Parents this study will examine why parents consider different aspects of schooling more important than others. Survey responses will be analyzed to explain possible relationships between factors affecting charter school enrollment, race, and socioeconomic status.
- Workfare and the Great Recession: Socioeconomic Outcomes among Black, White, and Hispanic Mothers in the Era of Work-First WelfareDelaney, Patrick Prescott (Virginia Tech, 2014-07-01)With the introduction of welfare reform in 1996 – the culmination of Bill Clinton's campaign promise to 'end welfare as we know it' – means-tested cash assistance became conditional upon participation in the labor market. The current welfare program Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) is dependent on recipients being able to find work, typically in the low-wage service sector. In addition, this reform handed the states considerable autonomy in TANF's implementation and administration. The literature, citing increased caseworker discretion and state-level policies, has also shown substantial evidence of favorable treatment toward white recipients (e.g. less sanctioning) compared with that of blacks and Hispanics. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1997 cohort, this study examines the impact of TANF before and during the Great Recession of 2008 by comparing socioeconomic outcomes among TANF recipients and similarly situated 'non-entrants' with an added focus on racial disparities in these outcome measures. Also, the role of state-level policy context is explored by assessing employment, income, and healthcare coverage outcomes among white, black, and Hispanic recipients living in states whose TANF policies are comparatively strict. Main findings include a significantly negative relationship between TANF participation and socioeconomic outcomes when controlling for relevant factors. No evidence was found, however, linking state TANF policy strictness with decreased socioeconomic outcomes among program participants.