Clara G. Muschkin, Assistant Research Professor of Public Policy Studies and Faculty, Children in Contemporary Society Certificate Program  

Office Location: 220 Rubenstein Hall
Office Phone: (919) 613-9302
Duke Box: 92000
Email Address: muschkin@duke.edu

Areas of Expertise

  • Education
    • Achievement
    • Others

      Demographic composition of schools
      Student behavior

Education:
Ph.D., Duke University, 1989
Ph.D., 2012
B.A., College of William and Mary, 1978

Research Description: Clara Muschkin is an assistant research professor of public policy and Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies in the Center for Child and Family Policy. She also serves as Director of the North Carolina Education Research Data Center. The mission of the NCERDC is to support and develop policy-oriented research on education, providing academic researchers with access to a wealth of data on North Carolina public schools, students, and teachers. Muschkin is a sociologist and demographer with an interdisciplinary research focus. In her research, she asks how education policies that influence the composition and organization of educational institutions can influence student behavior and academic performance. Her current research interests include: long-term impact of early childhood education on academic outomes; the impact of grade configuration on student behavior; the influence of retained and old-for-grade students on the behavior of grade peers; variations in student behavior related to high school transition; educational trajectories of youth involved in the criminal justice system; and educational outcomes among immigrant youth. Muschkin serves as Director for the Children in Contemporary Society Certificate program, and regularly teaches the cornerstone course.

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

  1. A.N. Beck and C.G. Muschkin. "The Enduring Impact of Race: Understanding Disparities in Student Disciplinary Infractions and Achievement." Sociological Perspectives 55.4 (December, 2012).  [abs]
  2. K.A. Dodge and C.G. Muschkin. Restore N.C.'s leadership in early childhood learning.  Raleigh News and Observer (November 1, 2012).
  3. C.T. Clotfelter, H.L. Ladd, C.G. Muschkin, and J.L. Vigdor. "Success in Community College: Do Institutions Differ?."   (Submitted, 2012).
  4. C.G. Muschkin, A.N. Beck, and E.J. Glennie. "Peer Contexts: Do Old for Grade and Retained Peers Influence Student Behavior in Middle School?."   (Submitted, 2012).
  5. C.G. Muschkin and K.L. Bonneau. "Easing the Transition to High School: Effects of a Freshman Academy on Student Success."   (Submitted, 2012).

Bio/Profile
Clara Muschkin serves as director for the North Carolina Education Research Data Center (NCERDC), located within the Center for Child and Family Policy. The mission of the NCERDC is to support and develop policy-oriented research on education, providing academic researchers with access to a wealth of data on North Carolina public schools, students, and teachers. Muschkin is a sociologist and demographer with an interdisciplinary research focus. In her research, she asks how education policies that influence the composition and organization of educational institutions can influence student behavior and academic performance. Her current research interests include: the impact of grade configuration on student behavior; the influence of retained and old-for-grade students on the behavior of grade peers; impact of school composition by race and immigrant status on student behavior and achievement across grade levels; educational trajectories of youth involved in the criminal justice system; and successful outcomes for community college students. Muschkin is the liaison between the Center for Child and Family Policy and the Duke University Institutional Review Board, and provides support to researchers on issues related to human subjects review. Muschkin serves as Director of the Children in Contemporary Society Certificate, and regularly teaches the cornerstone course for that program. She also serves as Director of Undergraduate Education in the Center for Child and Family Policy.

Clara G. Muschkin