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The Sensitivity of Impact Estimates to Data Sources Used: Analysis From an Access to Postsecondary Education Experiment

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  • Reuben Ford
  • Douwêrê Grékou
  • Isaac Kwakye
  • Taylor Shek-wai Hui

Abstract

Background: This article reports on the Future to Discover Project—a Canadian randomized controlled trial of two high school interventions—where data on key postsecondary enrollment outcomes were collected for two phases. During the initial phase, outcomes were recorded from administrative data and follow-up surveys. During the later phase, data came from administrative records only. Objectives: The article provides analyses that are informative about the consequences of a change from administrative-only data to survey-only data (and vice versa) for the estimation of impacts. Results: The change from administrative-only to survey-only data tended to produce apparent drops in postsecondary enrollment rates that varied by subgroup and education outcome. Nonetheless, levels and significance of impact with respect to postsecondary enrollment remained relatively stable. Conclusions: The findings of the article provide evidence that estimating education program impacts in the context of a randomized experiment can be relatively robust to the data sources chosen. They suggest that internal validity and conclusions for policy need not be affected by changing data sources even when the change produces marked changes in levels of the outcome of interest observed.

Suggested Citation

  • Reuben Ford & Douwêrê Grékou & Isaac Kwakye & Taylor Shek-wai Hui, 2018. "The Sensitivity of Impact Estimates to Data Sources Used: Analysis From an Access to Postsecondary Education Experiment," Evaluation Review, , vol. 42(5-6), pages 575-615, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:evarev:v:42:y:2018:i:5-6:p:575-615
    DOI: 10.1177/0193841X18799093
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Burt S. Barnow & David Greenberg, 2015. "Do Estimated Impacts on Earnings Depend on the Source of the Data Used to Measure Them? Evidence From Previous Social Experiments," Evaluation Review, , vol. 39(2), pages 179-228, April.
    2. Richard Dorsett & Richard Hendra & Philip K. Robins, 2018. "Using Administrative Data to Explore the Effect of Survey Nonresponse in the UK Employment Retention and Advancement Demonstration," Evaluation Review, , vol. 42(5-6), pages 491-514, October.
    3. W. Norton Grubb, 1993. "The Varied Economic Returns to Postsecondary Education: New Evidence from the Class of 1972," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 28(2), pages 365-382.
    4. Frenette, Marc, 2007. "Why Are Youth from Lower-income Families Less Likely to Attend University? Evidence from Academic Abilities, Parental Influences, and Financial Constraints," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2007295e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
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    1. Burt S. Barnow & David H. Greenberg, 2019. "Special Issue Editors’ Essay," Evaluation Review, , vol. 43(5), pages 231-265, October.
    2. Edith Yang & Richard Hendra, 2018. "The Importance of Using Multiple Data Sources in Policy Assessments: Lessons From Two Conditional Cash Transfer Programs in New York City," Evaluation Review, , vol. 42(5-6), pages 550-574, October.

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