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A Closer Look: Proximity Boosts Homeless Student Performance in New York City

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  • Cassidy, Michael T.

    (Princeton University)

Abstract

Proximity augments homeless students' educational outcomes. Homeless K-8 graders whose families are placed in shelters near their schools have 8 percent (2.4 days) better attendance, are a third (18 percentage points) less likely to change schools, and exhibit higher rates of proficiency and retention. Homeless high schoolers have 5 percent (2.5 days) better attendance, 29 percent (10 pp) lower mobility, and 8 percent (1.6 pp) greater retention when placed locally. These results proceed from novel administrative data on homeless families observed in the context of a scarcity-induced natural experiment in New York City. A complementary instrumental variable strategy exploiting homeless eligibility policy reveals a subset of proximity-elastic students benefit considerably more. Panel evidence demonstrates homelessness does not cause educational impairment as much as reflect large preexisting deficits.

Suggested Citation

  • Cassidy, Michael T., 2020. "A Closer Look: Proximity Boosts Homeless Student Performance in New York City," IZA Discussion Papers 13558, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13558
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    Cited by:

    1. Cassidy, Michael T., 2020. "Short Moves and Long Stays: Homeless Family Responses to Exogenous Shelter Assignments in New York City," IZA Discussion Papers 13559, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Treglia, Dan & Cassidy, Michael & Bainbridge, Jay, 2023. "Improving school attendance among homeless children: Evaluating the attendance matters program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    welfare policy; poverty alleviation; housing; families; neighborhoods; K-12; education; homelessness; program evaluation; causal inference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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