Abstract
ObjectivesTo examine how “stand-your-ground” (SYG) laws affect children’s academic performance. MethodsWe analyze 2008–2018 nationwide school district-level math and reading/language arts (RLA) test scores for 3rd-8th grade students combined with information on SYG laws by state and year. We implement two estimation approaches—two-way-fixed effects and group-time average treatment effects—and conduct analyses stratified by student race (Black, White) and area income level. ResultsWe find negative effects of SYG on math achievement among all students using both estimation approaches (−0.0377 standard deviation decline, p < 0.001 and −0.0493, p < 0.001). We find adverse effects of SYG on math among White students (−0.0315, p = 0.001 and −0.0312, p = 0.08) and among students in low-income districts (−0.0616, p < 0.001 and −0.0903, p < 0.001). The precision of estimates for the effect on math scores among Black students varies across approaches (−0.0666, p = 0.05, −0.0444, p = 0.48). We estimate negative effects of SYG on RLA achievement in only a subset of models. ConclusionsOur findings suggest SYG laws adversely affect math performance among 3rd-8th grade students. Policy implicationsThese findings underscore the importance of additional work to understand and quantify the relationship between the nation’s gun policies and children’s academic performance.
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