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The Effect of Housing Assistance on Student Achievement: Evidence from Wisconsin

Author

Listed:
  • Deven Carlson

    (Department of Political Science, University of Oklahoma)

  • Robert Haveman

    (La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin–Madison; and Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

  • Sohyun Kang

    (Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Hannah Miller

    (Abt Associates)

  • Alex Schmidt

    (Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Barbara Wolfe

    (Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison; and Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

Drawing on a unique data set that links information on all Wisconsin households receiving means-tested benefits with the educational performance of all Wisconsin public school students in these households, we estimate the effect of a family’s initial receipt of housing assistance on students’ subsequent achievement outcomes. We estimate these effects using two different comparison groups. Our first comparison group consists of children living in households that receive housing assistance starting three years after our treatment group—we use observations from students’ pre-receipt years as the basis for the comparison. Our second comparison group consists of low-income students whose families never received housing assistance, but did receive other forms of means-tested benefits, such as SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid. The results of our analyses suggest small positive effects of housing benefit receipt on student achievement. We discuss the implications for research and policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Deven Carlson & Robert Haveman & Sohyun Kang & Hannah Miller & Alex Schmidt & Barbara Wolfe, 2017. "The Effect of Housing Assistance on Student Achievement: Evidence from Wisconsin," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2017n19, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2017n19
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brian A. Jacob, 2004. "Public Housing, Housing Vouchers, and Student Achievement: Evidence from Public Housing Demolitions in Chicago," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(1), pages 233-258, March.
    2. Carlson, Deven & Haveman, Robert & Kaplan, Thomas & Wolfe, Barbara, 2012. "Long-term effects of public low-income housing vouchers on neighborhood quality and household composition," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 101-120.
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    4. Lisa Sanbonmatsu & Jeffrey R. Kling & Greg J. Duncan & Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, 2006. "Neighborhoods and Academic Achievement: Results from the Moving to Opportunity Experiment," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 41(4).
    5. Deven Carlson & Robert Haveman & Thomas Kaplan & Barbara Wolfe, 2011. "The benefits and costs of the Section 8 housing subsidy program: A framework and estimates of first‐year effects," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 233-255, March.
    6. Ingrid Gould Ellen & Keren Mertens Horn & Amy Ellen Schwartz, 2016. "Why Don't Housing Choice Voucher Recipients Live Near Better Schools? Insights from Big Data," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(4), pages 884-905, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Housing vouchers; public housing; student achievement; administrative data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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