Melissa Gentry
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melissadgentry.bsky.social
Melissa Gentry
@melissadgentry.bsky.social
310 followers 820 following 61 posts
Economics job market candidate at TAMU | interested in disability policy and education | former NBER RDRC Graduate Student Fellow | Small town FL native | she/her
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melissadgentry.bsky.social
Melissa Gentry @melissadgentry.bsky.social · 3d
I am excited to announce I am on the #EconJobMarket this year! 🎉 My research explores economic barriers for people with disabilities at the intersection of labor, public, and health economics.

My #EconJMP examines how reliable transportation transforms outcomes for this population. 🧵1/6
Photo shows the title page for an academic paper titled "Driving Inclusion: The Effect of Improved Transportation for People with Disabilities" by Melissa Gentry. The abstract is as follows: People with disabilities face substantial barriers to economic and social participation. I explore the extent to which these barriers are overcome by the availability of reliable and flexible transportation, which may serve as ``reliability insurance'' in case other modes of transit fail. Leveraging the roll-out of Uber, I use a stacked difference-in-differences approach to show that the availability of reliable and flexible transportation leads to improvements in social and economic participation through increased marriage rates and labor force participation, and reduced reliance on public assistance. The reduction in public assistance outweighs expected rideshare costs, lending support to the recent push towards public-private partnerships in the transportation space.
melissadgentry.bsky.social
I am excited to announce I am on the #EconJobMarket this year! 🎉 My research explores economic barriers for people with disabilities at the intersection of labor, public, and health economics.

My #EconJMP examines how reliable transportation transforms outcomes for this population. 🧵1/6
Photo shows the title page for an academic paper titled "Driving Inclusion: The Effect of Improved Transportation for People with Disabilities" by Melissa Gentry. The abstract is as follows: People with disabilities face substantial barriers to economic and social participation. I explore the extent to which these barriers are overcome by the availability of reliable and flexible transportation, which may serve as ``reliability insurance'' in case other modes of transit fail. Leveraging the roll-out of Uber, I use a stacked difference-in-differences approach to show that the availability of reliable and flexible transportation leads to improvements in social and economic participation through increased marriage rates and labor force participation, and reduced reliance on public assistance. The reduction in public assistance outweighs expected rideshare costs, lending support to the recent push towards public-private partnerships in the transportation space.
November 7, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
jenjennings.bsky.social
15% of American kids are served by IDEA.
Map of percent served under IDEA
October 11, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
socio-steve.bsky.social
Last month @rooseveltinstitute.org and NASI launched the Disability Economic Policy & Research Consortium. Read my colleague Lena Bilik's latest below on how a focus on this oft ignore population is crucial to building an inclusive economy.

rooseveltinstitute.org/blog/disabil...
Economic Policy Is Disability Policy: Launching the Disability Economic Policy & Research Consortium - Roosevelt Institute
When we apply a disability lens to economic policy and research, we zoom in on people who deeply understand the flaws in our systems and are more likely to interact with public programs and services. ...
rooseveltinstitute.org
October 8, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
paul-bruno.com
For students with disabilities "attending CTE high schools has large positive effects on completing high school on time, employment, and earnings...also results in more time spent with typically developing peers and higher 10th-grade test scores" journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
September 9, 2025 at 10:38 PM
melissadgentry.bsky.social
It was a joy and an honor to get to present my work on the impact of ridesharing on economic and social outcomes for people with disabilities at ADvancing States’ 2025 Home and Community-Based Services Conference!
Image shows a title slide to a presentation. The text on the slide reads "More Than a Ride: Community Transportation in Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)" "2025 Home and Community-Based Services Conferences, August 24-28, 2025" Panel shows a slide listing the participants in a conference panel. Panel participants include: Rosa Plasencia and Stephanie Giordano (National Core Indicators Survey), Kady Predota (PALCO), Melissa Gentry (Texas A&M), Jasmine Bowen (UberHealth), Laura McBride, Charles Nightlinger, and Special Guest (OneWell Health Care) Image presents a slide with text "Driving Inclusion: The Effect of Improved Transportation for People with Disabilities, Melissa Gentry, Texas A&M University"
August 27, 2025 at 2:14 PM
melissadgentry.bsky.social
It’s the first day of my fifth year which means it’s time for my fifth annual back to school pic with my cat! ✨
Photo of a white woman holding her black and white cat in an apartment.
August 25, 2025 at 11:25 PM
melissadgentry.bsky.social
"Florida will phase out certificates of completion for students with disabilities" www.cfpublic.org/education/20...
Florida will phase out certificates of completion for students with disabilities
The change comes after a legislative session that for the most part championed the rights of students with disabilities.
www.cfpublic.org
August 21, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
censusapitracker.bsky.social
Hello, Bluesky! This account automatically posts updates when the Census Bureau APIs add or remove datasets.

See the full tracker at www.hrecht.com/census-api-d...
Tracking Census Dataset Changes
See when the U.S. Census Bureau adds or removes datasets.
www.hrecht.com
August 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
melissadgentry.bsky.social
🚨 Baby Tapir in Houston 🚨
houstonzoo.bsky.social Houston Zoo @houstonzoo.bsky.social · Aug 8
Say hello to the newest (and most adorable) resident of South America’s Pantanal — a baby Baird’s tapir! Born overnight on July 23 to parents Moli and Noah, this spotted sweetie came into the world at 18 pounds and is already up to 30 pounds. Read more about our new addition: bit.ly/46K1wiV
August 8, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
dynarski.bsky.social
Statement from the largest economics association about the BLS firing

As context: AEA approximately never makes such public statements

This is a big deal
August 1, 2025 AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION Committee on Economic Statistics and Committee on Government Relations Statement from the American Economic Association on the Dismissal of the BLS Commissioner Leaders of the American Economic Association express their grave concern over the dismissal of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) earlier today. The independence of the federal statistical agencies is essential to the proper functioning of a modern economy. Accurate, timely, and impartial statistics are the foundation upon which households, businesses, and policymakers make critical decisions. Undermining the independence or credibility of these agencies threatens the integrity of the information that markets, institutions, and the public rely on every day. Measuring the vast and dynamic U.S. economy in real time is inherently challenging. It is standard practice for statistical estimates to be revised as more complete and higher-quality data become available. These revisions reflect the commitment of statistical agencies to accuracy, transparency, and methodological rigor-not failure or bias. The BLS has long had a well-deserved reputation for professional excellence and nonpartisan integrity. Safeguarding this tradition is vital for the continued health of the U.S. economy and public trust in our institutions. We call upon elected officials to respect and preserve the independence of the nation's statistical infrastructure. Lawrence Katz President, American Economic Association Katharine Abraham President-Elect, American Economic Association Karen Dynan Chair, American Economic Association Committee on Economic Statistics Kenneth Troske Chair, American Economic Association Committee on Government Relations
August 2, 2025 at 8:13 PM
melissadgentry.bsky.social
Spending this anniversary of the ADA watching PBS’s “Change Not Charity” as a way to remind me how far we’ve come - and how far we still have to go!
aclu.org ACLU @aclu.org · Jul 26
The ADA was signed into law 35 years ago today, and remains the most comprehensive civil rights law protecting people with disabilities.

This anniversary comes at a time when the health and dignity of disabled people are under attack by the Trump administration.
Graphic with text "The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 35 years ago today." Above the text is a photo of two people in wheel chairs and two people standing behind them next to a desk where former president H.W. Bush is signing a piece of paper.
July 27, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
paul-bruno.com
FYI: I've updated my list of Useful Data Resources, primarily with a bunch of (20-ish?) new links to state-specific public school datasets and data repositories.

go.illinois.edu/UsefulDataRe...

Suggestions/corrections are always welcome.
useful_data_resources
go.illinois.edu
July 26, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
wlky.bsky.social
As the ADA turns 35, groups fighting for disability rights could see their federal dollars slashed
As the ADA turns 35, groups fighting for disability rights could see their federal dollars slashed
Medicaid applicants often had a difficult time working through its rules even before the tax and budget law's recent changes.
www.wlky.com
July 26, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
reppashinski.com
The ADA wasn’t a gift – it was the result of relentless advocacy. From the Capitol Crawl to courtroom battles, disabled activists made this moment possible.
July 26, 2025 at 2:57 PM
melissadgentry.bsky.social
I feel incredibly fortunate to have been in the final cohort of fellows in the RDRC. While we may not have the center anymore, the work and community continues on.
 David Wessel @davidmwessel.bsky.social · Jul 25
After 22 years, NBER shuts its Retirement and Disability Research Center. It was funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA) through a cooperative agreement with the NBER with the goal of providing research and analysis that could inform Social Security policy. www.nber.org/brd/20251/nb...
NBER Retirement and Disability Research Center Winds Down Operations
www.nber.org
July 26, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
resolutionfoundation.org
Disabled people's access to flexible work is not evenly spread.

For more about employment access for disabled people, read 'Opening Doors' ⤵️ : buff.ly/d9KvJpj
A chart showing the proportion of disabled workers who have very flexible working available to them (left) and partially flexible work available to them (right), by selected demographics: UK, 2018- 2019 and 2020-2021
July 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
sydneyg.bsky.social
If you're not in town, check it out (and a great program all day) live or delayed on youtube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fu-...
Economics of Social Security, NBER Summer Institute
YouTube video by NBER
www.youtube.com
July 23, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
sydneyg.bsky.social
If you're in town for #NBER Summer Institute come check out my talk on the impacts of staffing cuts at the Social Security Administration, 3:30pm in the Skyline room
July 23, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
urbaninstitute.bsky.social
Rural communities in the US are home to a significant population of people with disabilities, yet #data on their experiences remain limited. New #research outlines the need for data to drive effective rural policy & shares recommendations for advancing rural #disability data. urbn.is/RuralDisabil...
Figure 1 shows Disability Rates in the US States and Puerto Rico, with the percentage of residents living with disabilities by county.
July 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
faculti.bsky.social
How does unreliable urban transport disproportionately limit women’s access to higher education—and can infrastructure fixes close the gap? @falbav.bsky.social , @wakeforest.bsky.social , discusses: faculti.net/transport-ba...
#economics
July 21, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
itsafronomics.bsky.social
I love research that debunks myths. #econsky

TLDR: Unemployment Insurance may delay re-entry into the labor market, but it helps low income workers find better jobs.
caseymcquillan.bsky.social Casey McQuillan @caseymcquillan.bsky.social · Jul 16
🚨🚨🚨 NEW WORKING PAPER: "The Benefits of UI for Marginally Attached Workers" with Brendan Moore

➡️ We find that UI minimally delays re-employment, but substantially improves labor market outcomes for low-income workers

🧵1/13
July 16, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
lava-girl.bsky.social
July is Disability Pride Month
🩶❤️💛🤍💚💙🩶

Happy #DisabilityPrideMonth to everyone with visible and invisible disabilities. To everyone who cares for someone with a disability, and to everyone who is gonna learn about disability pride this month.

Disability Pride is a fight and a celebration⭐
The Disability Pride Flag is a charcoal grey flag bisected diagonally from the top left corner to the lower right corner by five parallel stripes in red, pale gold, pale grey, light blue, and green.
June 30, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
bradlander.bsky.social
Whether visible or invisible, permanent or temporary, almost all of us will have or know someone with a disability.

As Mayor, I’ll fight like hell for truly accessible public transit.
June 16, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Reposted by Melissa Gentry
aclu.org
NEW: We submitted a public comment opposing the Department of Energy's attempt to eliminate long-established requirements that DOE buildings be accessible to people with disabilities.

This proposal is a violation of federal disability protections.
June 17, 2025 at 3:55 PM
melissadgentry.bsky.social
As a reminder - accessibility is for EVERYONE, regardless of disability status!
melissadgentry.bsky.social Melissa Gentry @melissadgentry.bsky.social · Jun 10
Disability Policy Friends: I haven't seen too many posts about this so I want to make sure people are aware.
The Department of Energy is attempting to roll back certain Section 504 protections and will do so unless they receive "significant adverse comments" by June 16th.
disabilitybelongs.bsky.social Disability Belongs™ @disabilitybelongs.bsky.social · Jun 10
Urgent Action Needed Before June 15th: Regulations That Ensure Buildings Are #Accessible Are At Risk!

The U.S. Department of Energy is working to roll back 2 regulations that help implement Section 504 of the Rehab Act. Learn more about this and how to submit a public comment at the link below!
June 10, 2025 at 8:34 PM