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The Effects of Spanish-Language Background on Completed Schooling and Aptitude Test Scores

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Author Info
Luis Locay () (Department of Economics, University of Miami)
Tracy Regan () (Department of Economics, University of Miami)
Arthur M. Diamond Jr. () (Department of Economics, University of Nebraska at Omaha)
Abstract

We investigate the effect of speaking Spanish at home as a child on completed schooling and aptitude test scores using data on Hispanics who grew up in the U.S. from the NLSY79. We model the accumulation of traditional human capital and English fluency, leading to the joint determination of schooling and test scores. We ï¬nd that speaking Spanish at home reduces test scores but has no signiï¬cant effect on completed schooling. The reduction in test scores is more dramatic the higher the education of the parents and when the choice of home language is endogenous.

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File URL: http://www.bus.miami.edu/_assets/files/faculty-and-research/academic-departments/eco/eco-working-papers/wp2009-09-spanish-language-2008.pdf
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File Function: First version, 2008
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by University of Miami, Department of Economics in its series Working Papers with number 0909.

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Length: 47 pages
Date of creation: 30 Apr 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:mia:wpaper:0909

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Related research
Keywords: Hispanics; language; aptitude; ability; NLSY79;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities and Races; Non-labor Discrimination

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  10. Kossoudji, Sherrie A, 1988. "English Language Ability and the Labor Market Opportunities of Hispanic and East Asian Immigrant Men," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 6(2), pages 205-28, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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