Elderly Ethnic Fragmentation and Support for Local Public Education

Abstract

This article considers the relationship between ethnicity within the elderly population and education spending. Extensive literature analyzes the relationship between demographics and education spending. This article contributes to this literature by examining the dynamics between the elderly population and ethnicity and its impact on education finance. Using a national panel public school district data set, it is found that increased ethnic fragmentation within the elderly population is negatively related to per-pupil spending and to per-pupil local revenues, but this effect depends on whether the state has a court-ordered reform.