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Effects of (ultra-fast) fibre broadband on student achievement

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  • Grimes, Arthur
  • Townsend, Wilbur

Abstract

We estimate the impact of ultra-fast broadband on schools’ academic performance. We do so through a difference-in-difference study of a new government-promoted fibre broadband network designed to deliver ultra-fast broadband to schools and hospitals. We show that fibre broadband increases primary (elementary) schools’ passing rates in standardised assessments by roughly one percentage point. Estimates are robust to alternative specifications, including controlling for time-varying covariates. We find no evidence that gender, ethnic minorities or students in remote schools benefit disproportionately. However, we find some evidence of a larger benefit within schools having a greater proportion of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Suggested Citation

  • Grimes, Arthur & Townsend, Wilbur, 2018. "Effects of (ultra-fast) fibre broadband on student achievement," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 8-15.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iepoli:v:44:y:2018:i:c:p:8-15
    DOI: 10.1016/j.infoecopol.2018.06.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert W. Fairlie & Jonathan Robinson, 2013. "Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Home Computers on Academic Achievement among Schoolchildren," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(3), pages 211-240, July.
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    5. Sadowski, Bert M. & Nucciarelli, Alberto & de Rooij, Marc, 0. "Providing incentives for private investment in municipal broadband networks: Evidence from the Netherlands," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(10-11), pages 582-595, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Caldarulo, Mattia & Mossberger, Karen & Howell, Anthony, 2023. "Community-wide broadband adoption and student academic achievement," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1).
    2. Whitacre, Brian & Biedny, Christina, 2022. "A preview of the broadband fabric: Opportunities and issues for researchers and policymakers," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(3).
    3. Briglauer, Wolfgang & Stocker, Volker, 2020. "Bedeutung digitaler Infrastrukturen und Dienste und Maßnahmen zur Förderung der Resilienz in Krisenzeiten," Policy Notes 42, EcoAustria – Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Richard Fabling & Arthur Grimes, 2019. "Ultra-fast broadband, skill complementarities, gender and wages," Working Papers 19_23, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research.
    5. Abrardi, Laura & Cambini, Carlo, 2019. "Ultra-fast broadband investment and adoption: A survey," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 183-198.
    6. Sylvain Dejean & Sophie Tarascou, 2021. "A qui profite la fibre ? Estimation des besoins en très haut débit et déploiement de la fibre optique en France," Working Papers hal-03341938, HAL.
    7. Carlo Cambini & Lorien Sabatino & Sarah Zaccagni, 2021. "The Faster the Better? The Effect of Ultra-Fast Broadband on Students’ Performance," CEBI working paper series 21-14, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    8. Charalampopoulos, George & Katsianis, Dimitris & Varoutas, Dimitris, 2020. "Investigating the intertwining impact of wholesale access pricing and the commitment to net neutrality principle on European next-generation access networks private investment plans: An options-game a," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3).
    9. Fabling, Richard & Grimes, Arthur, 2021. "Picking up speed: Does ultrafast broadband increase firm productivity?," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    10. Lynda Sanderson & Garrick Wright-McNaughton & Naomitsu Yashiro, 2022. "Does high-speed internet boost exporting?," Working Papers 2022/02, New Zealand Productivity Commission.
    11. Biedny, Christina & Whitacre, Brian & Gallardo, Roberto, 2022. "Do ‘dig once’ and permitting policies improve fiber availability?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fibre broadband; Ultra-fast broadband; Education; Difference-in-difference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate
    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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