2008-2009 University Scholar Profile
Jordan Loh
Mentor: David Figlio
Warrington College of Business
"I applied to the University Scholars program to in order to work closely with a great professor on a topic of one's own choice is a special opportunity for an undergraduate. Being able to explore academic research prior to graduate school under the instruction of a mentor will be an invaluable learning experience- both in terms of building hard research skills and in terms of developing my academic interests. I am excited for the opportunity to learn the process of generating solid empirical economic research, from project conception to data collection, from compilation to analysis."
Courses of Study
Major
Economics and Political Science
Minor
Business Administration
Research Interests
Intersection of interplay between government and markets, international relations
Awards
- Anderson Scholar
- Reitz Scholar
- McLaughlin Scholar
- Nominated to receive the UF Truman Scholarship
Volunteer Service / Organizations
- Phi Kappa Phi
- UF Tennis Club
- Visitation day chair for the UF Honors Ambassadors
- Former party leader of the UF Student Senate
Hobbies/Activities
Tennis, traveling
Research Description
Bigger May Not Always Be Better: Will Dividing Large School Districts Improve Education Quality?
Will dividing larger school districts into several smaller districts lead to changes in the level and distribution of student performance? The answer to this question has particular policy relevance in Florida, home to sixteen of the nation’s 100 largest school districts.
School and classroom size have long been hypothesized to influence education quality. School district size may matter as well, as many of the rules, procedures, and operating decisions that govern school administration, finance, and instructional policies originate at the district level.
With the intent of maximizing fiscal efficiency, the 20th century witnessed extensive consolidations of American school districts. This trend has resulted in lower per capita education expenditures in consolidated districts. In states such as Florida, however, some districts may now operate beyond the maximum efficient scale. When school districts operate in diseconomies of scale they may rely on inappropriate “one-size-fits-all” policies, offering limited opportunities and curtailed choices. When considering whether districts should be broken apart, it is important to ask if smaller, multi-town districts would govern schools better while retaining the opportunities available in larger districts, such as magnet schools. Additionally, smaller districts might follow socio-economic boundaries more closely, and while tangible benefits could be derived from more specialized governance, there might also be an increase in racial and socio-economic segregation.
This research will determine whether dividing larger school districts into smaller districts will affect the level and distribution of students’ scholastic performance as measured by standardized test scores. I will also explore whether such a move might exacerbate the segregation of student populations along racial and socio-economic dimensions. The results of this inquiry will highlight important considerations for evaluating current school district boundaries in Florida.
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