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Does Investing in School Capital Infrastructure Improve Student Achievement?

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  • Hong, Kai
  • Zimmer, Ron

Abstract

Within the research community, there is a vigorous debate over whether additional educational expenditures will lead to improved performance of schools. Some of the debate is an outgrowth of the lack of causal knowledge of the impacts of expenditures on student outcomes. To help fill this void, we examine the causal impact of capital expenditures on school district proficiency rates in Michigan. For the analysis, we employ a regression discontinuity design where we use the outcomes of bond elections as the forcing variable. Our results provide some evidence that capital expenditures can have positive effects on student proficiency levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Hong, Kai & Zimmer, Ron, 2016. "Does Investing in School Capital Infrastructure Improve Student Achievement?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 143-158.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:53:y:2016:i:c:p:143-158
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2016.05.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriella Szekeres (Vancza) & Alina Căldăraru, 2021. "The influence of financing on results in the pre-university education system," Journal of Financial Studies, Institute of Financial Studies, vol. 10(6), pages 136-151, May.
    2. Wenchi Wei, 2021. "State fiscal constraint and local overrides: a regression discontinuity design estimation of the fiscal effects," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 189(3), pages 347-373, December.
    3. Francesco Ruggieri, 2023. "Dynamic Regression Discontinuity: A Within-Design Approach," Papers 2307.14203, arXiv.org.
    4. Brasington, David M., 2018. "Passing school building tax levies may increase teacher salary," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 87-89.
    5. Cook, Jason B., 2018. "The effect of charter competition on unionized district revenues and resource allocation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 48-62.
    6. Mauricio Villamizar‐Villegas & Freddy A. Pinzon‐Puerto & Maria Alejandra Ruiz‐Sanchez, 2022. "A comprehensive history of regression discontinuity designs: An empirical survey of the last 60 years," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1130-1178, September.
    7. Stephen Gibbons & Claudia Hupkau & Sandra McNally & Henry G. Overman, 2021. "The Effects of College Capital Projects on Student Outcome," CVER Research Papers 035, Centre for Vocational Education Research.
    8. Brunner, Eric & Hoen, Ben & Hyman, Joshua, 2022. "School district revenue shocks, resource allocations, and student achievement: Evidence from the universe of U.S. wind energy installations," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    9. Asma Benhenda, 2020. "The impact of school facility expenditures on pupil attainment," CEPEO Briefing Note Series 10, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Nov 2020.
    10. Ali Enami, 2017. "Labor versus Capital in the Provision of Public Services: Estimating the Marginal Products of Inputs in the Production of Student Outcomes," Working Papers 1718, Tulane University, Department of Economics, revised Oct 2017.
    11. Vargas-Montoya, Luis & Gimenez, Gregorio & Fernández-Gutiérrez, Marcos, 2023. "ICT use for learning and students' outcomes: Does the country's development level matter?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    12. Martorell, Paco & Stange, Kevin & McFarlin, Isaac, 2016. "Investing in schools: capital spending, facility conditions, and student achievement," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 13-29.
    13. Hong Kai, 2017. "School Bond Referendum, Capital Expenditure, and Student Achievement," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 17(4), pages 1-26, October.
    14. Enami, Ali & Alm, James & Aranda, Rodrigo, 2021. "Labor versus capital in the provision of public services: Estimating the marginal products of inputs in the production of student outcomes✰," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    15. Paco Martorel & Kevin Stange & Isaac McFarlin Jr., 2016. "Investing in Schools: Capital Spending, Facility Conditions, and Student Achievement (Revised and Edited)," Upjohn Working Papers 16-256, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    16. Bhatnagar, Abhishek & Jaiswal, Animesh & Jain, Ansh & Bolia, Nomesh B., 2022. "An analysis of key indicators for enhancing school performance: Evidences from India," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    17. Conlin, Michael & Thompson, Paul N., 2017. "Impacts of new school facility construction: An analysis of a state-financed capital subsidy program in Ohio," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 13-28.
    18. C. Kirabo Jackson, 2018. "Does School Spending Matter? The New Literature on an Old Question," NBER Working Papers 25368, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Felipe M. Goncalves, 2015. "The Effects of School Construction on Student and District Outcomes: Evidence from a State-Funded Program in Ohio," Working Papers 593, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    20. Abott, Carolyn & Kogan, Vladimir & Lavertu, Stéphane & Peskowitz, Zachary, 2020. "School district operational spending and student outcomes: Evidence from tax elections in seven states," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economics of education; Capital expenditure; Regression discontinuity design;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education

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