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on Education |
| By: | Andrei Munteanu |
| Abstract: | This study examines the impact of school choice on academic achievement, by using differences in the number of schools across similar Romanian towns, generating variation in school choice for local students, who compete for seats via test scores. The author finds that more school choice results in increased sorting of students by admission scores across different schools. Sorting widens achievement gaps between high- and low-admission score students. High-scorers having access to better teachers and peer effects are the primary factors explaining these widening gaps. Lastly, between-school competition via school choice does not increase average achievement levels. |
| Keywords: | education, schoolchoice, sorting, inequality, peers, teachers. |
| JEL: | I24 I21 I28 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rsi:creeic:2401&r=edu |
| By: | Gortazar, Lucas; Hupkau, Claudia; Roldan-Mones, Antonio |
| Abstract: | We provide evidence from a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of a novel, 100-percent online math tutoring program, targeted at secondary school students from highly disadvantaged neighborhoods. The intensive, eight-week-long program was delivered by qualified math teachers in groups of two students during after-school hours. The intervention significantly increased standardized test scores (+0.26 SD) and end-of-year math grades (+0.48 SD), while reducing the probability of repeating the school year. The intervention also raised aspirations, as well as self-reported effort at school. |
| Keywords: | schools; online tutoring; mentoring; RCT; mathematics; child outcomes |
| JEL: | C93 I20 I28 H75 |
| Date: | 2023–03–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:121342&r=edu |
| By: | Jose Montalban; Rosa Sanchis-Guarner; Felix Weinhardt |
| Abstract: | Using administrative data, we estimate the effect of home broadband speed on student-level value-added test scores. Our headline estimate relies on jumps in connection quality between close neighbours that occur across thousands of invisible telephone exchange station catchment-area boundaries. We find that increasing speed by 1 Mbit/s increases test scores by 1.37 percentile ranks, equivalent to 5% of a standard deviation. School-level factors or broadband take-up cannot explain this. Instead, the positive effects are concentrated among high-ability and non-free-school-meal eligible students and result from more education-oriented internet use. Differences in ICT quality can thus lead to increasing education inequalities. |
| Keywords: | broadband, education, spatial regression discontinuity |
| Date: | 2024–02–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1979&r=edu |
| By: | Charu Jain (National Council of Applied Economic Research); Ruchi Jain (National Council of Applied Economic Research) |
| Abstract: | This paper addresses one of the most critical yet overlooked problems of excessive absence of students in primary grades in India. Considering the intuitive link between students’ attendance and achievements, this paper empirically investigates the incidence and causes of chronic absenteeism while examining the variations in the attainment of foundational skills of primary students. Using data from the India Human Development Survey, round II, the authors find a continuous decline in the attainment of foundational skills among students, as the absenteeism rate increases from ‘normal’ to ‘chronic’, clearly indicating that attendance works! Further, the logistic regression model shows that poor health conditions of a child, larger school distance, extra school working hours, teaching factors, and harsh punishments are among the major contributing factors leading to chronic absence among students. Early attention and strict policy interventions are required due to their direct implications on the cognitive growth of young minds, and quality and productivity of the overall school education. |
| Keywords: | Attendance, Learning Outcomes, Primary Education, Chronic Absenteeism, Gender, Human Development |
| JEL: | I21 I24 I28 |
| Date: | 2024–01–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nca:ncaerw:157&r=edu |
| By: | Messina, Julián (Universidad de Alicante); Sanz-de-Galdeano, Anna (Universidad de Alicante); Terskaya, Anastasia (University of Barcelona) |
| Abstract: | Utilizing comprehensive administrative data from Brazil, we investigate the impact of peer effects on wages, considering both within-gender and cross-gender dynamics. Since the average productivity of both individuals and their peers is unobservable, we estimate these values using worker fixed effects while accounting for occupational and firm sorting. Our findings reveal that within-gender peer effects have approximately twice the influence of cross-gender peer effects on wages for both males and females. Furthermore, we observe a reduction in the disparity between these two types of peer effects in settings characterized by greater gender equality. |
| Keywords: | peer effects, gender, matched employer-employee data, identity, wage determination |
| JEL: | J16 J24 J31 M12 M54 |
| Date: | 2024–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16721&r=edu |
| By: | Lavecchia, Adam M. (McMaster University); Oreopoulos, Philip (University of Toronto); Spencer, Noah (University of Toronto) |
| Abstract: | This study finds substantial reductions to criminal activity from the introduction of a comprehensive high school support program for disadvantaged youth living in the largest public housing project in Toronto. The program, called Pathways to Education, bundles supports such as regular coaching, tutoring, group activities, free public transportation tickets and bursaries for postsecondary education. In this paper, we use a difference-in-differences approach that compares students living in public housing communities where the program was offered to those living in communities where the program was not offered over time. We find that eligibility for Pathways reduces the likelihood of being charged with a crime by 32 percent at its Regent Park location. This effect is driven by a reduction in charges for breaking and entering, theft, mischief, other traffic offenses and Youth Criminal Justice Act offenses. |
| Keywords: | youth programs, education and crime, at-risk youth |
| JEL: | I24 I26 I28 L31 |
| Date: | 2024–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16724&r=edu |
| By: | Katarina Gomoryova (Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic) |
| Abstract: | Is female leadership the secret ingredient to financial prosperity? This question has been the subject of extensive research, yet the findings remain inconclusive. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of this relationship employing contemporary techniques on the up-to-date dataset comprising 1, 131 estimates gathered from 96 distinct studies. We address the pervasive issue of publication bias resulting in the mild preference for positive outcomes. After filtering out this bias, the study finds a negligible mean effect estimate, suggesting that the impact of women in leadership on financial performance is minimal. We further explore the potential factors that could account for variations in the estimated effects across different studies. Utilising Bayesian Model Averaging, weighted by the inverse number of estimates, we identify thirteen significant moderators that influence the relationship under study. Among these, the proportion of female authors, the impact factor of the journal, the duality of the CEO role, and the tenure of leaders are found to exert the most positive influence on the effect. Conversely, the age of leaders pushes effect the most in the opposite direction. Other influential factors include the publication status of the article, the number of variables used in the study, publication bias, the use of random estimation and matching approaches, the use of accounting-based financial measures, focus on the emerging market, and the representation of the leadership variable as a proportion. |
| Keywords: | meta-analysis, publication bias, Bayesian Model Averaging, female leadership, gender diversity, financial performance |
| JEL: | J23 J24 J31 |
| Date: | 2024–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fau:wpaper:wp2024_06&r=edu |