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The short-term effects of school consolidation on student achievement: Evidence of disruption?

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  • Beuchert, Louise
  • Humlum, Maria Knoth
  • Nielsen, Helena Skyt
  • Smith, Nina

Abstract

We exploit variation stemming from school consolidations in Denmark from 2010 to 2011 to analyze the impact on student achievement as measured by test scores. For each student we observe enrollment and test scores prior to school consolidation and up to four years after. We find that the achievement of students in closing schools is adversely affected in the short run. Furthermore, students initially enrolled in small schools experience the most detrimental effects. The effects appear to weaken over time, suggesting that part of the effect is due to disruption.

Suggested Citation

  • Beuchert, Louise & Humlum, Maria Knoth & Nielsen, Helena Skyt & Smith, Nina, 2018. "The short-term effects of school consolidation on student achievement: Evidence of disruption?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 31-47.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:65:y:2018:i:c:p:31-47
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2018.05.004
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    Cited by:

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    2. Maria Pia Iocco, 2024. "Impact of school closures on academic performance: Evidence from Chile," Working Paper Series 0524, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    3. Russell, Lauren, 2019. "Better outcomes without increased costs? Effects of Georgia’s University System consolidations," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 122-135.
    4. Emily Hannum & Xiaoying Liu & Fan Wang, 2021. "Estimating the Effects of Educational System Consolidation: The Case of China’s Rural School Closure Initiative," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 70(1), pages 485-528.
    5. Holmlund, Helena & Böhlmark, Anders, 2019. "Does grade configuration matter? Effects of school reorganisation on pupils’ educational experience," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 14-26.
    6. 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).
    7. World Bank, 2018. "World Development Report 2018 [Rapport sur le développement dans le monde 2018]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 28340.
    8. Dongre, Ambrish & Tewary, Vibhu, 2020. "Pain without gain?: Impact of school rationalisation in India," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    9. Holmlund, Helena & Böhlmark, Anders, 2017. "Does grade configuration matter for school performance? Short- and long-run effects of school reorganisation," Working Paper Series 2017:6, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    10. Damm, Anna Piil & Mattana, Elena & Nielsen, Helena Skyt, 2022. "Effects of school displacement on academic achievement and wellbeing of ethnic minorities," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    11. Chen, Anqi & Li, Yongyou, 2024. "Long-term effects of early-life education intervention on children’s outcomes: Evidence from school consolidation in rural China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    12. Alcaíno, Manuel & Jaimovich, Analia & Méndez, Carolina & Vásquez, Diana, 2022. "Government fragmentation and educational outcomes: evidence on the creation of municipalities in Chile," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 11987, Inter-American Development Bank.
    13. Astrid Marie Jorde Sandsør & Torberg Falch & Bjarne Strøm, 2022. "Long‐run Effects of Local Government Mergers on Educational Attainment and Income," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 84(1), pages 185-213, February.
    14. Xie, Gang & Zhang, Lei, 2022. "Effects of school closure on household labor supply: Evidence from rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    15. Bingley, Paul & Heinesen, Eskil & Krassel, Karl Fritjof & Kristensen, Nicolai, 2018. "The Timing of Instruction Time: Accumulated Hours, Timing and Pupil Achievement," IZA Discussion Papers 11807, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Koussihouèdé, Oswald, 2020. "Primary school size and learning achievement in Senegal: Testing the quantity–quality trade-off," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    17. Oskari Harjunen & Tuukka Saarimaa & Janne Tukiainen, 2021. "Love Thy (Elected) Neighbor? Residential Segregation, Political Representation and Local Public Goods," Discussion Papers 138, Aboa Centre for Economics.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    School size; School resources; School mergers; Disruption effects; Educational production function; Test scores;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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