Scholarly Writing: Published Papers

Lee, W. F., A. Sojourner, E. Davis, & J. Borowsky (forthcoming) Effects of Child Care Vouchers on Price, Quantity, and Provider Turnover in Private Care Markets. Journal of Human Capital. [Upjohn working paper]
In Published Papers
Summaries

Upjohn policy brief: Effects of subsidies on the child care market: Large increases in capacity, small increases in price

Press Mentions

Yahoo!Finance: Minnesota fell behind on child care, now it needs to get more parents working

Golberstein, E., I. Zainullina, A. Sojourner & M. Sanders (2024) Effects of School-Based Mental Health Services on Youth Outcomes. Journal of Human Resources, 59(S), S256-S281
In Published Papers
Summaries

Upjohn-UMinnesota Policy Brief: School-Based Mental Health Services Can Increase Access to Care and Decrease Suicide Attempts
Upjohn Employment Research Newsletter: School-Based Mental Health Services Can Increase Access to Care and Decrease Suicide Attempts

Press Mentions

Sahan Journal & Minnesota Public Radio: All Minnesota public school students can access free mental health care
MinnPost: Researchers measure fewer suicide attempts after school-based mental health implemented in Hennepin County
MedicalXPress: School-based mental health services can improve the well-being of children and adolescents

Sockin, J. & A. Sojourner (2023) What's the Inside Scoop? Challenges in the Supply and Demand for Information about Job Attributes. Journal of Labor Economics, 41(4)
In Published Papers
Working Papers

SSRN

Press Mentions

Financial Times: The NDA boom is bad for both employers and workers

Goda, G. M. Levy, C. F. Manchester, A. Sojourner, J. Tasoff, & J. Xiao (2023) Are retirement planning tools substitutes or complements to financial capability? Journal of Economic Behavior and Organizations. 214: 561-573
In Published Papers
Working Papers

Upjohn. SSRN. IZA. NBER.

Press Mentions

Marketwatch: Why retirement calculators fail the people who need them most and what to do about it

McDevitt, R. & A. Sojourner (2023) The Need for Speed: Demand, Regulation, and Welfare on the Margin of Alternative Financial Services. Review of Economics and Statistics.
In Published Papers
Summaries

Policy brief (3-pager) Albany (N.Y.) Times-Union op-ed: Banks need to accelerate and improve payment systems

Press Mentions

Duke Fuqua summary: New research could improve check cashing industry for customers and businesses

Qiu, Y. & A. Sojourner (2023) Labor-Market Concentration and Labor Compensation, ILR Review. 76(3): 475–503. Replication package & concentration measures available here.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

SSRN

Press Mentions

Forbes opinion: How Big Firms Keep Wages Low
Phenomenal World: The Emerging Monopsony Consensus
Hamilton Project: The Shift in Private-Sector Union Participation
Brookings: Non-compete contracts: Potential justifications and the relevant evidence
ProMarket: Regulators Should Not Change the Regulatory Environment to Include Labor Market Concentration
Center for American Progress: The Modern Company Town

Sojourner, A. & J. Yang (2022) Effects of Union Certification on Workplace-Safety Enforcement: Regression-Discontinuity Evidence. ILR Review. 75(2): 373-401.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA Discussion Paper 9610
Data: NLRB Elections 1962-2009 consolidating Thomas Holmes & Henry Farber data. OSHA inspections from U.S. Department of Labor.

Summaries

The Conversation: Unionized workers are more likely to assert their right to a safe and healthy workplace
- Also published in: Houston Chronicle

Press Mentions

Common Dreams: COVID-19 gag rules endanger everyone, but study shows unions make it easier to assert workplace safety rights
UnionTrack: Has the pandemic been a turning point for healthcare unions?
The Daily Poster: Amazon tries to block vote on worker safety initiative

Hotz, J., C. Bollinger, T. Komarova, C. Manski, R. Moffitt, D. Nekipelov, A. Sojourner, & B. Spencer (2022) Balancing Data Privacy and Usability in the Federal Statistical System. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 119(31).

Letter to PNAS Editors with same co-authors: "The Key Role of Absolute Risk in the Disclosure Risk Assessment of Public Data Releases"

In Published Papers

Flood, S., J. McMurray, A. Sojourner, & M. Wiswall (2022) Inequality in Early Care Experienced by U.S. Children. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 36(2): 199-222
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA & NBER

Summaries

Economic Report of the President (2023) President's Council of Economic Advisers: p. 132 & 141

Press Mentions

American Economics Association Research Highlights: Childcare and Inequality
New York Times: How Other Nations Pay for Child Care. The U.S. Is an Outlier.
Small Talks

Larson, R., S. Shannon, A. Sojourner & C. Uggen (2021) Felony History and Change in U.S. Employment Rates. Social Science Research.
In Published Papers
Press Mentions

American Public Media: Ban the Box may be counterproductive
Phys.org: Felons remain out of work despite paying debt to society
Star Tribune: Economists at Minneapolis Fed meeting explore persistent racial gaps in hiring, wealth
Minneapolis Fed: Opportunity & Inclusive Growth Institute spring 2018 conference

Ruffini, K., A. Sojourner & A. Wozniak (2021) Who's in and who's out under workplace COVID symptom screening? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

Minneapolis Fed

Summaries

Econofact: COVID Symptom Screening at the Workplace

Press Mentions

The Hill: Employers have critical role to prevent second wave
Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank: How well do workplace COVID-19 screens work? And do they discriminate?
Tradeoffs podcast: The perils of self-reported COVID screening

Greenwood, B., R. Hardeman, L. Huang, & A. Sojourner (2020) Physician-Patient Racial Concordance and Disparities in Birthing Mortality for Newborns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117 (35): 21194-21200.
In Published Papers
Summaries

Economic Report of the President (2023) President's Council of Economic Advisers: p. 164
Building Racial Equity Into the Walls of Minnesota Medicaid (2022) Minnesota Department of Human Services: p. 33
Strategic Priorities at Work (2021)United Nations Human Rights Council: p. 17

Press Mentions

Awardee, 2020 Cozzarelli Prize from the PNAS editorial board
PNAS coverage tracker
Nature: Medical bias poses a deadly threat for Black babies
NPR Shortwave 12-minute interview: A Key To Black Infant Survival? Black Doctors
USA Today: Black babies are more likely to survive when cared for by Black doctors
CNN Health: Black newborns 3 times more likely to die when looked after by white doctors
Washington Post: Mortality rate for Black babies is cut dramatically when they're delivered by Black doctors, researchers say
Washington Post: Howard University announces $32.8 million gift that will 'produce more Black doctors'
CNN Opinion: To save Black lives, we need more Black doctors
NY Daily News: Black newborns are more likely to survive when cared for by Black doctors, study
The Hill: Study: Black newborns more likely to survive when cared for by black doctors
BET: New study finds Black newborns are three times more likely to die when cared for by white doctors
The Grio: Black newborns 3 times more likely to die when care for by white doctors
The Cut: Black newborns are 3 times more likely to die when treated by white doctors
ScienceNews: What we can learn from how a doctor's race can affect Black newborns' survival
Fortune: Lack of black doctors is killing black babies, new study finds
People: Black newborns are more likely to survive under the care of black doctors, study finds
Black Enterprise: Black newborn are more likely to survive under the care of black doctors, study finds
University of Minnesota: Uncovering a dramatic disparity
BBC Radio: Newborn deaths in U.S.
Guardian: Black babies more likely to survive when cared for by black doctors -- US study
Daily Mail: Black babies in the US are three times more likely to die in hospital than white children when cared for by a white doctor, study finds
Evening Standard: US study finds black babies more likely to survive when cared for by black doctors
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio: Black babies more likely to survive if they have Black doctors, study
Face2Face Africa: Black babies three times more likely to die when under the care of a white doctor, study
Welingelichte Kringen: Amerikaanse studie: Minder babystefte als zwarte artsen voor zwarte baby's zorgen
CNews: Les bebes noirs ont plus de chances de survivre avec un medecin noir
WCCO 4 CBS Minnesota: U of M research finds Black newborns die less when cared for by Black doctors
KMSP Fox 9 News: Black newborns die less when treated by black doctors rather than white doctors, U of M study finds
KSTP ABC 5: Study: Black newborns less likely to die when cared for by Black doctors
WVLT TV: Black newborn babies 3 times more likely to die when treated by white doctors, study says
KROC AM News: Study: Black newborns have better odds if cared for by Black doctors
Inforum Rochester: Study: Black newborns die less often with Black doctors. Also: Detroit Lakes Tribune.
MEEAW: Black newborns in the U.S. nearly thrice more likely to die in hospital under White physicians care: study
EcoWatch: Black infants more likely to survive if treated by Black doctors, Study finds
IFLScience: Black American babies are much less likely to die if their doctor is also black
Star Tribune: Finding new solutions for racial health gaps
Star Tribune: Unequal outcomes, by race in health care: Justice Jackson's unjust accusation

Benson, A., A. Sojourner, & A. Umyarov (2020) Can Reputation Discipline the Gig Economy? Experimental Evidence from an Online Labor Market. Management Science. 66(5):1802-1825
In Published Papers
Working Papers

Mpls Fed OIGI, HCEO & IZA

Press Mentions

Minneapolis Fed The Region: In the gig economy, reputation counts
Workday Minnesota with video: Researchers draw lessons from online labor markets
IZA Newsroom (Germany): New forms of work and shady employers: How reputation can discipline the "gig economy"
- Picked up by: EU CEDEFOP's Skills Panorama
Technology Policy Institute: Research Roundup Strikes Back
Economisch Statistische Berichten (Netherlands): Reputatie als tegengas in de sjeesconomie
BuzzFeed Tech: American Labor Unions Are Falling Down on Digital Workers

Goda, G., M. Levy, C. Manchester, A. Sojourner, & J. Tasoff (2020) Who Is a Passive Saver Under Opt-In and Auto-Enrollment? Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization. 173: 301-321.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA, NBER, HCEO, Mpls Fed OIGI

Summaries

VoxEU: Auto-Enrollment Changes Who Is a Passive Saver
TIAA Institute: Mechanisms Behind Retirement Saving Behavior. Paper & brief
RRC brief: Do Defaults Have Spillover Effects?

Press Mentions

Minneapolis Fed: Saving for retirement

Sajjadiani, S., A. Sojourner, J. Kammeyer-Mueller & E. Mykerezi (2019) Using Machine Learning to Translate Pre-Hire Work History into Predictors of Performance and Retention. Journal of Applied Psychology. 104(10):1207-1225.
In Published Papers [Slides]
Press Mentions

Quartz at Work: An experiment to find teachers who perform better and stay longer shows promising results
Education Week: Taking the Guesswork Out of Teacher Hiring
Education Week: Districts Are Screening for Racial Biases During Teacher Job Interviews. Here's How
Nimble: Nimble partners with researchers to identify excellent teachers
City Pages: Can AI help Minneapolis Public Schools find better teachers who stay longer?
Carlson School magazine: Aaron Sojourner helps Minneapolis Public Schools invest in their students
UBC Sauder magazine: Study finds using machine learning can hire better teachers
U Minnesota Research Brief: Predicting Job Performance and Turnover in Education Using Machine Learning

Goda, G., M. Levy, C. Manchester, A. Sojourner, & J. Tasoff (2019) Predicting Retirement Savings Using Survey Measures of Exponential-Growth Bias and Present Bias. Economic Inquiry. 57(3): 1636-1658.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

HCEO Working Paper 2018-059 & NBER Paper 21482

Summaries

2015 NBER Retirement Research Consortium annual meeting brief and slides.
Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research Brief: The Role of Exponential-Growth Bias and Present Bias in Retirement Savings

Press Mentions

The Atlantic: The Two Biases that Keep People from Saving Money
WBUR: Study Finds Two Biases That Hurt Americans' Savings
NBER Bulletin on Aging & Health: How Biases Affect Retirement Savings
Dow Jones MarketWatch Retirement Weekly: How Does Your 401(k) Contribution Translate Into Retirement Income?
PBS Next Avenue: Two Mental Roadblocks That Keep Us From Saving
- Picked up by: Forbes and Yahoo! Finance Canada
Money Magazine: The Real Reasons Americans Aren't Saving Enough for Retirement
PBS Next Avenue: The $24 Billion Workers Are Leaving on the Table: Why are employees passing up so much free 401(k) money
Squared Away: Our Blind Spots Cut Retirement Savings. One of most popular posts of 2016.
Think Advisor: These 2 Behavioral Biases Could Mean Up to 70% Less in Retirement
PolicyGenius: Struggling to save money? Blame your brain
ETF Trends: 5 Behavioral Finance Biases That Hurt Investment Decisions

Chaparro, J., A. Sojourner & N. Huey (2019) Differential effects from access to high-quality early care. In Sustaining Early Childhood Learning Gains. Editors: A. Reynolds & J. Temple. Cambridge Univ Press: Cambridge, U.K.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA

Press Mentions

U.S. Treasury Department: The Economics of Child Care Supply in the United States
Testimony to Minnesota House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division: Investments in early childhood could prevent, close skill gaps, division hears
IZA Newsroom (Germany): Subsidized high-quality early care improves child development especially among children in low-income families
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis: Sustaining early childhood education gains

Sojourner, A. & J. Pacas (2019) The relationship between union membership and net fiscal impact. Industrial Relations. 58(1): 86-107.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA & HCEO

Press Mentions

The Nation: Union Benefits Go Far Beyond the Workplace
HCEO Global Working Group: Research Spotlight: The Relationship between Union Membership and Net Fiscal Impact

Davis, E., W. Lee & A. Sojourner (2019) Family-Centered Measures of Access to Early Care & Education. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 47: 472-486.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA

Summaries

ChildCareAccess.org: maps and reports on families’ child care access in every Minnesota neighborhood.
Won Lee won University of Minnesota U-Spatial 2019 prize for best use of maps by graduate student.

Press Mentions

U.S. Treasury Department: The Economics of Child Care Supply in the United States
UMinnesota: New University of Minnesota tool reveals child care access challenges across the state
Minnesota Daily: UMN researchers create a child care access tool
New Ulm Journal: UM tool shows child care access challenges
Hutchinson Leader: Litchfield child care access below state average, report says
Aitkin Independent Age: Revealing local child care access challenges
SouthernMinn.com: Number of reasons for child care shortage, no easy answers
Pine County Journal: Mapping tool provides insight into child care needs & How the child care shortfall affects Carlton County and what officials are doing to address it

Budd, J., A. Sojourner & J. Jung (2016) Are Voluntary Agreements Better? Evidence from Baseball Arbitration. ILR Review. 70(4): 865-893
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA

Press Mentions

Research Features: Conflict Resolution: Are Voluntary Agreements More Favourable?
Management INK interview w/Budd: Are Voluntary Agreements Better? Evidence from Baseball Arbitration
Carlson School story: Dispute Lessons from the Major Leagues & video interview w/Budd

Sojourner, A., B. Frandsen, R. Town, D. Grabowski & M. Chen (2015) Impacts of Unionization on Quality and Productivity: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from Nursing Homes. ILR Review. 68(4): 771-806. [Appendix]
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA & NBER

Press Mentions

Hamilton Project: The Shift in Private-Sector Union Participation
Vox.com: I was skeptical of unions. Then I joined one.

Hart, C. & A. Sojourner (2015) Unionization and Productivity: Evidence from Charter Schools. Industrial Relations. 55(4): 422-448. Working paper version: IZA.
In Published Papers
Press Mentions

The American Prospect: When Charters Go Union
Chalkbeat: At ed reform conference, charter school leaders feel the political heat and strategize about how to fend off unions
Ohio Watchdog: Kids do fine when charter school forms labor union, study shows. Also, at Townhall.com.
The Detroit News: Do Unions Spell Charter School Doom?
Worchester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette Unions no enemy to achievement
Minnesota Public Radio Union Votes at Two Charter Schools Could Open Way to Others
Star-Tribune: St. Paul charter school votes to unionize
Minnesota Public Radio St. Paul charter school's teachers join union
Pioneer-Press: St. Paul German Immersion School teachers vote for union
Star-Tribune: German school now state's only unionized charter

Goda, G., C. Manchester & A. Sojourner (2014) What Will My Account Really Be Worth? Experimental Evidence on How Retirement Income Projections Affect Saving. Journal of Public Economics. 119: 80-92
In Published Papers
Summaries

TIAA-CREF Institute Trends & Issues brief [pdf]
Video and slides from George Washington U. business school - U.S. Federal Reserve Board joint seminar on financial literacy

Press Mentions

U.S. Department of Labor Clearinghouse for Labor and Evaluation Research summary
U.S. Dept. of Labor's advance notice of proposed rulemaking on lifetime income projections
Wall Street Journal Market Watch: The More You Know, The More You Save
Business Insider: This Mental Trick Could Help You Save More Money 5/2814
U.S. News & World Reports blog: The Easiest Way to Get People to Save More
FinSights blog on round table for industry leaders on retirement income
WorldatWork's WorkSpan article: Compensation Research Summer Camp 8/2013
Next Avenue article: The Most Important Thing to Know About Your 401(k)
Stanford University Report: Knowledge is power when it comes to retirement planning
BenefitsPro article: Type of retirement education determines how much employees save
Boston College Center for Retirement Research policy brief and Squared Away Blog post
National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Bulletin on Aging and Health article [pdf]
Retirement Income Journal: Income projections have small but significant effects on participant saving rates
Nerd's Eye View blurb
Wall Street Journal Market Watch Encore: A Scare Tactic Could Boost Saving
RAND Insight brief
National Center for Policy Analysis summary

Sojourner, A., E. Mykerezi, & K. West. (2014) Teacher Pay Reform And Productivity: Panel Data Evidence from Adoptions of Q-Comp in Minnesota. Journal of Human Resources. 49(4): 945-981.
In Published Papers
Summaries

Mykerezi, Sojourner & West (July 2015) "Reforming Teacher Contracts: A Look at the Impact of Q-Comp on Student Achievement in Minnesota" Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) Reporter. Also a 3-page policy brief.

Press Mentions

The 74 Million: The merit pay myth: Why the conventional wisdom about paying teachers is wrong
Star-Tribune: Additional state funding for teacher evaluations proposed
HometownSource.com: 5-to-1 return on taxpayer dollars is encouraging news. Also, Mille Lacs County Times and Stillwater Gazette,
Educators for Excellence Minnesota: Quality Compensation: Supporting and Rewarding Excellence in Teaching
Minnpost: Minnesota Must Raise Q-Comp Cap to Support Teachers
Star-Tribune op-ed: Don't Go Writing Off Q-Comp
Cited in Star-Tribune letter to editor responding to this op-ed
Pioneer Press article about our testimony at Minnesota House Education committee3/7/14
Star-Tribune op-ed
Star-Tribune article and our letter to the editor

Duncan G. & A. Sojourner. (2013) Can Intensive Early Childhood Intervention Programs Eliminate Income-based Cognitive and Achievement Gaps? Journal of Human Resources. 48(4): 945-968.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

Duncan G. & A. Sojourner. (2013) Can Intensive Early Childhood Intervention Programs Eliminate Income-based Cognitive and Achievement Gaps? Journal of Human Resources. 48(4): 945-968.

Press Mentions

U.S. Treasury Department: The Economics of Child Care Supply in the United States
Minnpost: New study: High-quality preschool for poor kids under 3 would eliminate achievement gap

- Educators for Excellence Minnesota blog post.

2016 Economic Report of the U.S. President Chapter 4: Inequality in Early Childhood and Effective Public Policy Interventions
KAZM (Sedona, Ariz): One solution to many problems 2/22/14
Carlson School Magazine: Closing the Achievement Gap with Early Childhood Education
Cincinnatians for the American Dream: An Economist's Take on Pre-K
Minnesota Daily: Cradle to K Cabinet plan advances
Southwest Journal: Cradle to K report due in December
Star-Tribune: Minneapolis Mayor Hodges Forms Crade-to-K Cabinet 5/23/1
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges & MPR's Kerri Miller on the Daily Circuit [8:00 - 9:30 minute mark].
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis: Sustaining early childhood education gains
Minnpost: "Rock-star researchers on early ed to talk at U of M event"
Video: Heller-Hurwicz Economics Institute panel on early learning
The Atlantic Citylab: How the Twin Cities Hope to Get Ahead of Demographic Change
Southwest Journal: Health Kids, Healthy City
Go Local Providence (R.I.): It's All About Education: Can Universal Preschool Close the Achievement Gap?
Mention at end of Minnpost article on Education Writers' Association meeting
Investing in Kids blog by Tim Bartik (Upjohn Institute) gives extensive comment on paper
Discussed on KTNF 950AM Daily Report [12:05 - 17:00 minute mark]
Way to Grow: U Economist Publishes Study on Early Ed
Huffington Post: This is what could close the achievement gap among young kids 1/7/14
Think Progress article 1/3/14
Brookings Brown Center Chalkboard: Does Pre-K Work? by Russ Whitehurst 2/26/14
Tim Bartik response to Whitehurst on his Investing in Kids blog

Sojourner, A. (2013) Identification of Peer Effects with Missing Peer Data: Evidence from Project STAR. Economic Journal. 123(569): 574-605.
In Published Papers
Working Papers

Google scholar

Press Mentions

Access Minnesota radio interview (25 minutes) about implications for ability mixing in classrooms and other education topics
Royal Economic Society: Mixed ability classes raise average achievement and reduce inequality: new evidence of peer effects in early education July 31, 2013

Sojourner, A. (2013) Do Unions Promote Electoral Office-Holding? Evidence from Correlates of State Legislatures' Occupational Shares. Industrial & Labor Relations Review. 66(2).
In Published Papers
Working Papers

IZA

Summaries

Scholars Strategy Network: Unions Foster Middle Class Leadership in American Democracy

Press Mentions

The Hill: Democrats Should Fully Embrace Their Union Roots
Demos Policy Shop: From Union Halls to City Halls: How Unions Create Middle-Class Public Leaders
ADAPT International Bulletin #16 highlights paper
Hamilton Project: The Shift in Private-Sector Union Participation

Sojourner, A., D. C. Grabowski, M. Chen & R. J. Town. (2010) Trends in Unionization of Nursing Homes. Inquiry. 47: 331–342.
In Published Papers
Press Mentions

Medical Industry Leadership Institute (MILI) Exchange article summarizes paper