Neighborhood–School Structures: A New Approach to the Joint Study of Social Contexts

Abstract

Robust literatures separately estimate school effects and neighborhood effects on children's educational, economic, health, and other outcomes that measure well-being. A growing body of research acknowledges that both contexts matter and considers neighborhoods and schools jointly. In this review, we synthesize the array of results that emerge from these studies and critique the tendency for researchers to evaluate which matters more, neighborhoods versus schools. We propose a reorientation of this scholarship that incorporates research on neighborhood and school selection and segregation processes. We argue that contextual effects research would be enriched by considering local neighborhood–school structures: the ways that families choose neighborhoods and schools and that neighborhoods and schools mutually and cyclically constitute one another. We conclude with recommendations for bringing neighborhood–school structures to bear on both outcomes-oriented studies of neighborhood and school effects as well as studies of contextual selection and segregation. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Sociology, Volume 49 is July 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Gendered Pathways: How District Contexts Differentially Shape Educational Trajectories

“…Focusing exclusively on a single context risks imposing a reductive perspective on the complex landscape of social contexts (Rich & Owens, 2023). As district disparities continue to widen in many developed nations, understanding how students of different genders navigate these district contexts is crucial for comprehending the expanding achievement gaps across genders.…”

“…It is also important to note that our selection of variables was constrained to those available at the district level longitudinally, potentially overlooking other influential factors. Future research should explore the dynamic interplay among individuals, schools, and districts to better understand educational outcomes (Rich & Owens, 2023). Lastly, while our study provides empirical evidence on the roles of district contexts in interaction with gender, the underlying mechanisms were not directly tested.…”