|
on Education |
| By: | Santiago Cueto; Diether W. Beuermann; Julian Cristia; Ofer Malamud; Francisco Pardo |
| Abstract: | This paper examines a large-scale randomized evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program in 531 Peruvian rural primary schools. We use administrative data on academic performance and grade progression over 10 years to estimate the long-run effects of increased computer access on (i) school performance over time and (ii) students’ educational trajectories. Following schools over time, we find no significant effects on academic performance but some evidence of negative effects on grade progression. Following students over time, we find no significant effects on primary and secondary completion, academic performance in secondary school, or university enrollment. Survey data indicate that computer access significantly improved students’ computer skills but not their cognitive skills; treated teachers received some training but did not improve their digital skills and showed limited use of technology in classrooms, suggesting the need for additional pedagogical support. |
| JEL: | I21 I25 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34495 |
| By: | Kristensen, Nicolai (VIVE - The Danish Centre for Applied Social Science) |
| Abstract: | Approximately 7-10% of the population have some degree of dyslexia, and students with this disability are likely to be more dependent on qualified teaching. I analyze this tenet using population-wide Danish administrative records of public schools, where subject teachers are linked over time to classrooms and students, and identification is achieved using a within-school between-class model. I find that qualified teachers improve student outcomes mostly at the bottom of the student skill distribution and that students tested as at-risk of dyslexia in 4th grade make smaller progress in 6th grade vis-à-vis their peers, except for at-risk students from high SES schools who catch up with their peers. Unqualified teaching in combination with low SES schools impedes the ability of dyslexic students to reach their potential, and upholds the inter-generational correlation in education. |
| Keywords: | socioeconomic status, teacher quality, reading ability, dyslexia |
| JEL: | I21 I24 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18279 |
| By: | Stanislav Avdeev |
| Abstract: | This paper provides the first evidence on the impact of exposure to international students on the long-term outcomes of native students. I combine unique survey and administrative data from the Netherlands covering one million students across three decades and employ an across-cohort design. I find that exposure to international students leads natives to (i) form social ties with non-natives, (ii) hold more positive attitudes towards migration and learning about other cultures, and (iii) seek opportunities abroad. Notably, I find precisely estimated zero effects on employment, income, entrepreneurship, and the share of international co-workers up to 25 years after university entry. |
| Keywords: | contact hypothesis, domestic students, foreign students, higher education, labor market, mobility, networks, peer effects, emigration |
| JEL: | F22 I23 J24 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12283 |
| By: | Robert Ainsworth; Rajeev H. Dehejia; Andrei Munteanu; Cristian Pop-Eleches; Miguel Urquiola |
| Abstract: | We examine the impacts of assignment to STEM vs. humanities-focused curricula in Romania’s high school system. We apply a regression discontinuity design to administrative and survey data to estimate effects on educational pathways, desired careers, and non-cognitive outcomes. An overarching theme of our findings is the malleability of students to what they study. Assignment to STEM increases STEM college enrollment and technology or engineering career intentions by 25 pp. Exploring mechanisms, we find that STEM assignment changes students’ self-perceived academic abilities and their preferences over academic subjects and job tasks. STEM assignment is risky for low-achieving students, reducing their chances of passing a high school exit exam and enrolling in college. A final finding is that STEM makes boys more conservative, while shifting some of girls' views to the left. Our results identify a strategy for promoting STEM higher education and careers, but also highlight potential tradeoffs. |
| JEL: | I2 J24 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34502 |
| By: | Nano Barahona; Cauê Dobbin; Sebastián Otero |
| Abstract: | We study the rapid expansion of Brazil's private online higher-education sector and its effects on market structure and college enrollment. Exploiting regional and field-specific variation in online education penetration, we find that online programs expand access for older students but divert younger students from higher-quality in-person programs. Greater competition lowers tuition prices but also reduces the supply of in-person degrees. Using an equilibrium model of college education, we show that in the absence of online programs, total enrollment would be 14 percent lower, while in-person enrollment would rise by 33 percent. On net, aggregate labor-market value added declines by 1.4 percent. Online education raises value added for older students, who benefit from increased access, but lowers it for younger students, who shift toward lower-return online options. Counterfactual policies that restrict online enrollment to older cohorts could increase value added for younger students without reducing gains for older cohorts. |
| JEL: | I23 I24 I26 J24 L11 L13 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34522 |
| By: | Choi, Kyuhan; Shi, Ying (Syracuse University); Zhu, Maria (Syracuse University) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines how exposure to disruptive students affects teacher retention using linked teacher-student administrative records from North Carolina. To address non-random classroom assignment, we instrument for classroom exposure using the school-by-grade share of disruptive students based on prior-year disciplinary infractions. A one standard deviation increase in the share of disruptive students raises the probability of a teacher leaving the school in the following year by 1.6 percentage points. We do not find differential effects by teacher characteristics. However, working in a school environment with supportive leadership and greater teacher input into decision-making mitigates the impact of student disruptions. |
| Keywords: | student behavior, teacher turnover |
| JEL: | I29 J45 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18271 |