Sumaya Musse

Comparing Economic and Social Characteristics of San Francisco and LA Counties

Started Feb. 19, 2024

Abstract or project description

Sumaya is interested in how economic and social factors vary between and within LA and San Fransico Counties. She has collected longitudinal data on economic and social indicators from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. These data include unemployment, housing, GDP, and education variables. The primary goal of the research is to identify and explain trends we observe from these data. Understanding the factors influencing education outcomes in big cities such as San Francisco (SF) and Los Angeles (LA) is critical for various reasons. For example, improving education policy and identifying patterns can help policymakers create focused actions to alleviate educational inequality. Another factor is closing the achievement gap by examining variations between and across cities, which might reveal places where certain student groups require further attention. This paper investigates the qualitative and quantitative factors contributing to educational outcome trends between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The importance of this paper and this research is that education is a variable affecting economic growth. Identifying certain disparities in educational outcomes can help us determine resources and how to prepare students for success. The paper is structured as follows: 1) showing education trends in LA and SF using data from the St. Louis Fed, 2) explaining why these trends exist, and 3) outlining policy recommendations to improve educational outcomes.