Those participating in Teach for America are more likely to vote than applicants not chosen for the program, a new study finds.
In 1906, psychologist William James proposed national service as a way to boost political engagement among young Americans. More than a century later, a team of political scientists has shown one long-running program that attracts recent college graduates hoping to improve U.S. education also boosts their voting rates, a key metric of political engagement.
“It’s a significant finding,” says David Campbell, a political scientist at the University of Notre Dame who was not involved in the research. “And its rigor also sets a high standard for future studies.” The nearly 30,000 subjects in the sample—most of them recent college graduates—were drawn from those who fell on either side of a narrow band of TFA applicants recommended or not recommended for the program between 2007 and 2015. Mo and her co-authors used a clever statistical tool known as regression discontinuity design to create a group of TFA teachers and a control group of rejected applicants with minimally different demographic characteristics.
The researchers admit they can’t pinpoint the reason why being part of TFA makes one more likely to vote. But they offer several hypotheses, including that the program gives participants a prolonged exposure to social inequalities and helps them develop the “skills and beliefs … to engage in politics.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Meet the Elite Dog Trainers Who Teach America’s Four-Legged Millionaires to BehaveJet set pets have very particular needs. Their owners rely on a few discreet trainers for help.
Read more »
Educators no longer need college degree to teach in Arizona public schoolsThe education requirement for teachers in Arizona has changed.
Read more »
Downtown Aquarium takes a bite out of summer with Shark DayThe Shark Voyage train, Q&As with shark divers and conservation programming are some of the highlights
Read more »
65% of Americans earning $100,000 or more are 'very concerned' about inflation, new CNBC poll findsSome 65% of U.S. adults earning $100,000 or more said they are 'very concerned' about rising costs due to inflation, a CNBC/Morning Consult poll found.
Read more »
Some seniors and disabled people will miss out on new California state paymentsCalifornians who don’t file taxes — because they don’t earn enough to owe any — won’t receive the new round of state payments. That includes some seniors and disabled people, as well as some of the lowest-income adults.
Read more »
Dominion Voting Subpoenas Bill Barr in Its Fox News Defamation SuitAs part of its defamation lawsuit against Fox News, Dominion Voting Systems has subpoenaed former Attorney General William Barr, according to the case’s court docket.
Read more »