PUBLICATIONS BY Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
Research
2008 Research
October 17, 2008
Job Creation from the Obama and McCain Tax Plans: A State-by-State Analysis
By Shanea J. Watkins, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2105)
A recent Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis report describes the economic outcomes that can be expected based on the presidential candidates' proposed tax plans. The analysis finds that job growth under Senator John McCain's (R–AZ) plan at the national level is more than two times faster than job growth under Senator Barack Obama's (D–IL) plan.
September 08, 2008
Does Spending More on Education Improve Academic Achievement?
By Dan Lips, Shanea J. Watkins, Ph.D., and John Fleming
(Backgrounder #2179)
Since 1985, real federal spending on K–12 education has increased by 138 percent. Long-term NAEP reading scale scores and high school graduation rates show that the performance of American students has not improved dramatically in recent decades even though education spending has soared. Policymakers should implement education reforms designed to improve resource allocation and boost student performance.
August 21, 2008
Who Serves in the U.S. Military? The Demographics of Enlisted Troops and Officers
By Shanea J. Watkins, Ph.D., and James Sherk
(Center for Data Analysis Report #08-05)
The men and women of America’s all-volunteer military do not come disproportionately from disadvantaged backgrounds. Instead, both active-duty enlisted troops and officers come disproportionately from high-income neighborhoods: a trend that has increased since 9/11. America’s troops are also highly educated, and the racial composition of the military is similar to that of the civilian population, although whites and blacks are slightly overrepresented among enlisted recruits.
June 20, 2008
Safer Kids, Better Test Scores: The D.C. Voucher Program Works
By Shanea J. Watkins, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1965)
In January 2004, Congress passed the District of Columbia School Choice Incentive Act of 2003, the first federally funded school voucher program in the United States. Now known as the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, this initiative provides scholarships of up to $7,500 to more than 1,900 low-income students in the District. A recent U.S. Department of Education (DOE) evaluation of the program should provide policymakers with some encouragement, as the report demonstrates that the Opportunity Scholarship Program is having a positive impact on students and families alike.
March 11, 2008
The House Budget Resolution: Tax Hikes Would Harm Economy, Taxpayers
By Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1844)
This WebMemo projects the likely impact of the House budget resolution in states and congressional districts.
2007 Research
December 10, 2007
Paying More at the Pump: Energy Bill Would Increase Gas Prices
By William W. Beach and Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1729)
H.R. 6 could increase the price of regular unleaded gasoline from $3.06 per gallon to $5.02 by 2016.
June 18, 2007
Senate Energy Bill Would Increase Gas Prices
By William W. Beach and Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1512)
Through taxes and regulations, S. 1419 could increase the price of gasoline by 104 percent by 2016.
May 07, 2007
Tax Increases Ahead: The Impact of the House Budget Resolution, By Congressional District
By Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #2031)
As it currently stands, the House budget resolution proposes to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire, which could cause the average taxpayer to face an additional $3,029 in taxes; could damage employment growth, causing about one million fewer jobs to be created; and has the potential to damage economic output by over $100 billion.
April 04, 2007
The Fiscal Cost of Low-Skill Households to the U.S. Taxpayer
By Robert Rector, Christine Kim, and Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
(Special Report #12)
Households headed by persons without a high school diploma impose a significant fiscal burden on other taxpayers: The cost of the government benefits they consume greatly exceeds the taxes they pay. Before transferring even more economic resources to these households, government should have a very clear account of the magnitude of the economic transfers that already occur.
April 04, 2007
Executive Summary: The Fiscal Cost of Low-Skill Households to the U.S. Taxpayer
By Robert Rector, Christine Kim, and Shanea Watkins, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #12)
Executive Summary: Households headed by persons without a high school diploma impose a significant fiscal burden on other taxpayers: The cost of the government benefits they consume greatly exceeds the taxes they pay. Before transferring even more economic resources to these households, government should have a very clear account of the magnitude of the economic transfers that already occur.
2006 Research
September 01, 2006
Are Public or Private Schools Doing Better? How the NCES Study Is Being Misinterpreted
By Shanea Watkins
(Backgrounder #1968)
A recent study published by the National Center for Education Statistics is being used in an effort to discredit private school voucher programs, but its results should be interpreted cautiously. Studies based on better methods show that students who attend private schools through a voucher program experience greater achievement gains than do their public school counterparts.
January 9, 2009
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