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Attendance Boundary Policies and the Limits to Combating School Segregation

Author

Listed:
  • Andreas Bjerre-Nielsen
  • Mikkel Høst Gandil

Abstract

What is the efficacy of redrawing school attendance boundaries as a desegregation policy? To provide causal evidence on this question, we employ novel data with unprecedented detail on the universe of Danish children and exploit changes in attendance boundaries over time. Households defy reassignments to schools with lower socioeconomic status. There is a strong social gradient in defiance, as resourceful households are more sensitive to the student composition of new schools. We simulate school assignment policies and find that boundary changes that reassign areas to a highly disadvantaged school are ineffective at altering the socioeconomic composition at the disadvantaged school.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Bjerre-Nielsen & Mikkel Høst Gandil, 2024. "Attendance Boundary Policies and the Limits to Combating School Segregation," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 16(1), pages 190-227, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:16:y:2024:i:1:p:190-227
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20200843
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    Cited by:

    1. Mertz, Mikkel & Ronchi, Maddalena & Salvestrini, Viola, 2025. "Female Representation and Talent Allocation in Entrepreneurship: The Role of Early Exposure to Entrepreneurs," IZA Discussion Papers 17801, IZA Network @ LISER.
    2. Jan Bietenbeck & Matthew Collins & Petter Lundborg & Kaveh Majlesi, 2025. "Exposure to Inequality, Human Capital Investment, and Labor Market Outcomes," CESifo Working Paper Series 12295, CESifo.
    3. Damm, Anna Piil & Mattana, Elena & Nielsen, Helena Skyt & Rouland, Benedicte, 2021. "Academic achievement and wellbeing of dual language learners: Evidence from a busing program," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Damm, Anna Piil & Hassani, Ahmad & Schultz‐Nielsen, Marie Louise, 2021. "Data Contruction of Danish Residential Neighbourhoods for 1986-2016," Nationaløkonomisk tidsskrift, Nationaløkonomisk Forening, vol. 2021(1), pages 1-53.
    5. Miriam Gensowski & Rasmus Landersø & Philip Dale & Anders Højen & Laura Justice & Dorthe Bleses, 2024. "Public and Parental Investments and Children’s Skill Formation," Working Papers 2024-011, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    6. Clark, Damon & Coate, Stephen, 2025. "An efficiency case for equity-based school priorities," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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