“The Trayvon Martin Effect”: Estimating the effect of the Trayvon Martin shooting on reading performance scores using the synthetic control method

Abstract

This study analyzes how the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin affects schools and specifically students in Florida. The research examines students’ reading scores, employing a Synthetic Control Method (SCM) to construct a synthetic comprised of 29 schools in the Miami Dade School District as the comparison group. The findings suggest that the shooting of Trayvon Martin lowered reading scores by 1% point in 2013 while the synthetic obtained a 7% point increase in reading scores in 2013. Finally, this paper proposes steps to take in the event of a traumatic event occurring at schools.

Keywords

• shootings
• student performance
• synthetic control method
• education
• violence