Students drop out of school for a variety of reasons, yet are “pushed out” when they exhibit traits that are deemed undesirable to school officials, such as misbehavior and academic failure. While much of the previous research on pushouts views the phenomenon as a discrete occurrence often attributed to either misbehavior or academic failure, we […]
Author: Social Policy Institute
Data for Social Impact: Roundtable Discussion Summary Report
To inform the Data Science for Social Impact initiative, SPI hosted a series of public roundtable discussions in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, data.org, and the St. Louis Regional Data Alliance in 2021. This report documents the information gathered at the first two discussions.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Housing Instability during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Assets and Income Shocks

Abstract Stable and adequate housing is critical in the midst of a pandemic; without housing, individuals and families cannot shelter in place to prevent the spread of disease. Understanding and combating housing hardships in vulnerable populations is therefore essential to a sound public health response. This study aims to explore the pandemic’s disproportionate impacts on […]
COVID-19 Among Youth in Israel: Correlates of Decisions to Vaccinate and Reasons for Refusal
The primary aim of the present study is to examine the reasons for adolescents’ refusal to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and examine correlates of vaccination among adolescents aged 12–18 years in Israel. A total of 150 youth aged 12–18 years participated in the study. Following parental consent (30% response rate) from an online internet […]
How Did School Meal Access Change during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Analysis of a Large Metropolitan Area
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) resulted in school closures and contingencies across the U.S. that limited access to school meals for students. While some schools attempted to provide alternative meal access points where students or parents could pick up meals, many students—especially those in low-income households—lacked adequate transportation to these access points. Thus, physical proximity to meal access […]
Vaccine hesitance during COVID-19
As rates of vaccination have slowed, concerns are growing about how to increase vaccine uptake among those who are vaccine hesitant, particularly with the emergence of new and contagious variants such as Delta. Using our national Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey, we examine the predictors of vaccine hesitance in the U.S. and report on findings […]
Paid Sick Leave Heading into COVID-19
Paid sick leave is vital for controlling the spread of illness in the workplace and an invaluable public health tool, but too few workers have access to it. In this brief, we examine the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess paid sick leave coverage with a focus on the social and economic characteristics of […]
Cut me some slack! An exploration of slack resources and technology-mediated human capital investments in entrepreneurship

Purpose In this paper, the authors explore the relationship that slack resources and technology-mediated human capital investments can have on individuals’ entrepreneurial intentions. Focusing on human capital investments that individuals make through education and work, the authors analyze the relationship among formal online learning opportunities, informal skill development in the gig economy and entrepreneurial intentions. […]
Policy & Practice Strategies for Inclusive Growth in St. Louis

A 6-part event series, Inclusive Growth in St. Louis investigated who is left out of St. Louis’ economic growth benefits, the policies that have led to the unequal distribution of opportunities, and actionable recommendations to become a more inclusive economy. This report summarizes those discussions and recommendations.
Increased School Breakfast Participation from Policy and Program Innovation: The Community Eligibility Provision and Breakfast after the Bell

Abstract School meals provide significant access to food and nutrition for children and adolescents, particularly through universal free meal mechanisms. Alongside added nutritional meal requirements under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (2010), schools can utilize meal program and policy mechanisms such as the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and Breakfast after the Bell (BATB) to increase […]
Do Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Savings and Job Loss during COVID-19 Explain Disparities in Housing Hardships? A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Abstract Despite the array of public programs offered to help households mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many still needed to rely on savings, credit, or other assets to make ends meet. This reality may exacerbate existing social and economic inequities because racial and ethnic minorities often have lower access to assets and […]
Crashing without a Parachute: Racial and Educational Disparities in Unemployment during COVID-19

Abstract The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been shouldered equally by American families. Black and Hispanic communities have been hit the hardest, with the pandemic often exacerbating existing disparities. Using nationally representative data, we assess the economic and public health effects of the pandemic among different socioeconomic groups and whether typical sources of […]
Introduction: The COVID-19 Shock to Our Deep Inequities: How to Mitigate the Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic affected nearly every aspect of household health, as well as the social and economic well-being of individuals and communities across the United States. Many in our society have faced and continue to face unprecedented challenges. Specifically, the pandemic put a microscope on inequities such as racial disparities in housing, health care, and […]
The Precarity of Self-Employment among Low- and Moderate-Income Households

Abstract Many people in the United States have achieved economic stability through self-employment and are often seen as embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and seizing opportunity. Yet, research also suggests that self-employment may be precarious for many people in the lower socioeconomic strata. Drawing on a unique dataset that combines longitudinal survey data with administrative tax […]
Suspended While Black in Majority White Schools: Implications for Math Efficacy and Equity
This article explores whether racial disparities in mathematics arise in majority White schools for students who receive in-school suspensions (ISS). Using data from the High School Longitudinal Survey and machine learning generated propensity scores to estimate average treatment effects, we find Black suspended students in schools with low White enrollment have math test scores and […]
Public perceptions and the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Lessons from Israel

Abstract Objectives To explore the associations between vaccine hesitancy and demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well as perspective towards the COVID-19 and its vaccines. Methods Data were collected through four online surveys on Israel’s representative sample in March (3/2 to 3/7, n = 1517), August (8/10–8/11, n = 925; 8/18–8/22, n = 1054), and September (9/22-9/24; n=1406), 2021. We employ a […]
The Impact of Tax Refund Delays on the Experience of Hardship Among Lower-Income Households

Abstract The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial support to low-income workers in the USA, yet around a quarter of EITC payments are estimated to be erroneous or fraudulent. Beginning in 2017, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 requires the Internal Revenue Service to spend additional time processing early EITC […]
Public perceptions and the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Lessons from Israel

Abstract Objectives To explore the associations between vaccine hesitancy and demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well as perspective towards the COVID-19 and its vaccines. Methods Data were collected through four online surveys on Israel’s representative sample in March (3/2 to 3/7, n = 1517), August (8/10–8/11, n = 925; 8/18–8/22, n = 1054), and September (9/22-9/24; n=1406), 2021. We employ a […]
All over the Map: A Systematic Literature Review and State Policy Scan of Medicaid Buy-In Programs for Working Individuals with Disabilities

Abstract While supports for people with disabilities have increased, significant healthcare and financial barriers persist. State-administered Medicaid Buy-In programs for working people with disabilities, distinct from broader buy-in discussions that have emerged as some states consider expanding access to health insurance, are intended to incentivize employment and protect against a loss of Long-Term Services and […]
Nothing to show for it: Financial Distress and Re-Enrollment Aspirations for those with non-degreed debt

Abstract The number of individuals with student loan debt who do not earn their degrees is on the rise; nevertheless, there is little research that demonstrates their current circumstances and future aspirations. We address this knowledge gap by comparing the financial distresses and re-enrollment aspirations of student debt-holders who started college but did not earn […]
COVID-19 job and income loss and mental health: the mediating roles of financial assets and well-being and the moderating role of race/ethnicity

Abstract Prior research shows unemployment has a negative effect on mental health, yet whether this relationship is affected by financial factors is unknown. For example, having money in savings may mitigate the impact of job loss on mental health. We use structural equation modeling with data from the Socio-Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey with a […]
Who Protests, What Do They Protest, and Why?

Abstract We examine individuals’ decisions to attend protests during the summer of 2020. Our analysis examines two simultaneous movements: Black Lives Matter along with protests calling for less stringent public health measures to combat the COVID-19 (e.g., for swifter reopening of businesses). Our analysis is made possible by a unique staggered panel data set that […]
Disrupted and Disconnected: Child Activities, Social Skills, and Race/Ethnicity During the Pandemic

Abstract Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, parents reported that their children spent the majority of their time at home, which can dramatically change their activities and negatively impact their social skills. However, research has yet to uncover the relationships between changes in activities during the pandemic and children’s social skills, nor the degree to which […]
How Would Americans Respond to Direct Cash Transfers? Results from Two Survey Experiments

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial support to low-income Universal basic income has gained renewed interest among policymakers and researchers in the U.S. While research indicates that unconditional cash transfers produce diverse benefits for households, public support lags in part due to the predicted unemployment and frivolous spending. To understand how Americans […]
Experimental Evidence on Consumption, Saving, and Family Formation Responses to Student Debt Forgiveness (Links to an external site)

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial support to low-income Universal basic income has gained renewed interest among policymakers and researchers in the U.S. While research indicates that unconditional cash transfers produce diverse benefits for households, public support lags in part due to the predicted unemployment and frivolous As policy-makers grapple with whether […]
Expansion of Child Tax Credit Helped Feed Children in West Virginia (Links to an external site)

West Virginia Public Broadcasting interviewed Leah Hamilton, associate professor at SPI, about the effects of the child tax credit on families, highlighting SPI’s finding that 52% of West Virginian parents reported spending the payment on food.
As the child tax credit draws to a close, yet another study highlights its positive impact (Links to an external site)
Marketplace references an SPI study on the expanded child tax credit which examined the ways in which CTC recipients used the payments.
Experts wrangle over impact of now-defunct expanded child tax credit (Links to an external site)

Deseret News highlights a recent SPI study on the expanded child tax credit, examining the ways in which parents used the payments.
Brookings survey discusses tax credit (Links to an external site)

The Intelligencer highlighted the recent SPI study looking at how parents used the payments not only for basic needs, but also to invest in their children’s futures.
Child Tax Credit Payments Helped Parents Avoid Selling Plasma, Taking Payday Loans (Links to an external site)

HuffPost highlights findings from an SPI study on the CTC that show the payments enabled many parents to stop resorting to risky ways to make ends meet.
Many parents relying on the Child Tax Credit left the workforce after payments expired (Links to an external site)
Yahoo Money interviewed Stephen Roll, research assistant professor at SPI, about the spike in unemployment in parents following the termination of the CTC payments.
Study Finds Employment Declined for Parents After Ending Monthly CTC Payments (Links to an external site)
Basic Income Today featured results from an SPI study on the child tax credit, finding that the termination of the CTC was followed by households experiencing decreased employment.
Study Counters Claims That the Child Tax Credit Increased Unemployment (Links to an external site)
The National Interest cites a recent SPI study by Stephen Roll, Yung Chun, and Leah Hamilton, that found no evidence that the increased payments led to parents leaving their jobs.
With the support of the child tax credit, some parents launched businesses last year (Links to an external site)

CNBC News interviewed Stephen Roll, SPI research assistant professor, about the effects of the child tax credit on families and the workforce.
Study finds more entrepreneurship among Child Tax Credit recipients (Links to an external site)
AS news summary featured an SPI study which found no evidence that the child tax credit payments negatively affected employment.
Murphy: I’m 25. I don’t have children. But I know the Child Tax Credit is an opportunity we can’t afford to miss. (Links to an external site)
Loudoun Times-Mirror cites results from a recent SPI study which examined the impact of the CTC on employment.
Study: Expanded child tax credits did not reduce employment (Links to an external site)
Phys Org published an article from The Source which shared results from an SPI study finding that the child tax credit payments did not affect employment.
Expanded Child Tax Credit didn’t cut labor force (Links to an external site)

Futurity shared a recent analysis by researchers at SPI and Appalachian State University which found no evidence that the child tax credit payments encouraged unemployment.
Expanded child tax credits did not reduce employment, study finds (Links to an external site)
The Source shares results from a recent SPI study which shows that employment among parents did not decrease following the child tax credit payments.
What’s Happening With The Child Tax Credit (Links to an external site)

Forbes interviewed Dr. Leah Hamilton, SPI faculty affiliate, about the additional benefits of the CTC due to its lack of work requirement conditions for parents.
The expanded child tax credit briefly slashed child poverty. Here’s what else it did (Links to an external site)

NPR highlights a recent SPI study which analyzed spending data to find the ways in which families utilized their child tax credit payments.
Put partisan politics aside — The Child Tax Credit must be renewed immediately (Links to an external site)
The Hill shares results from an SPI study which shows the benefits of the CTC for low-income families.
Congress must renew expired child tax credit (Links to an external site)
The Baltimore Sun highlights a recent SPI study which analyzed how unemployment was affected by the child tax credit payments.
Joe Manchin worried child tax credit would lead to smaller workforce, but job numbers rose (Links to an external site)
Newsweek highlights a recent study from SPI and Humanity Forward which found that most parents planned to keep working after receiving the CTC.
Study shows spike in COVID-related depression, anxiety among Israeli teens (Links to an external site)
The Cleveland Jewish News highlighted results from a recent SPI study which found an increased number of children suffering from anxiety after the pandemic.
Eating Disorders, Depression Increased Among Israeli Teens During Covid-19 Pandemic, Study Finds (Links to an external site)
The Algemeiner shared a recent SPI study showing a significant increase in anxiety in children following the pandemic.
Timely research from the Social Policy Institute influences policy in Israel (Links to an external site)
Researchers at SPI have worked hard throughout the pandemic to study the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19, both in the U.S. and in Israel. Global highlights how this work has informed public policy.
Monthly child tax credit payments have stopped. Will they be back? (Links to an external site)
Deseret News highlighted results from an SPI study analyzing the impact of the child tax credit payments.
The Child Tax Credit is helping Clevelanders, but some families have missed out (Links to an external site)
Ideastream Public Media highlighted SPI’s study showing that the most common way Ohioan families are spending the CTC payments is on essential items.
Clalit Health Services: 30% increase in immunization among 5-11 year olds (Links to an external site)
Clalit Health Services cited SPI in a printed article about the increase in vaccinations among young children in Israel.