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Does closing schools close doors? The effect of high school closings on achievement and attainment

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  • Larsen, Matthew F.

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of high school closures on student achievement and educational attainment. Previous studies primarily focus on effects of elementary school closings on test scores. This study furthers the literature by focusing on high school closures and examines several measures of achievement and attainment. I utilize student data from the Milwaukee Public School district and follow five freshman cohorts through high school. I find that school closings cause a negative shock to student attendance. Importantly, these closures also have long-run consequence both lowering the probability of high school graduation and college attendance.

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  • Larsen, Matthew F., 2020. "Does closing schools close doors? The effect of high school closings on achievement and attainment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:76:y:2020:i:c:s0272775718305922
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2020.101980
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    13. Engberg, John & Gill, Brian & Zamarro, Gema & Zimmer, Ron, 2012. "Closing schools in a shrinking district: Do student outcomes depend on which schools are closed?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 189-203.
    14. Brummet, Quentin, 2014. "The effect of school closings on student achievement," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 108-124.
    15. Hanushek, Eric A. & Kain, John F. & Rivkin, Steven G., 2009. "Corrigendum to "Disruption versus Tiebout improvement: The costs and benefits of switching schools" [Journal of Public Economics Volume 88 (2004), pages 1721-1746]," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(11-12), pages 1283-1284, December.
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    1. Musa Hasen Ahmed, 2024. "University expansion and female adolescents’ educational attainment in Ethiopia," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 67(2), pages 417-448, August.
    2. Said Bouznad & Aomar Ibourk, 2020. "School Closures, Equality of Opportunity: Some Recommendations," Revista romaneasca pentru educatie multidimensionala - Journal for Multidimensional Education, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 12(2Sup1), pages 103-110, September.
    3. Whitney Ruble, 2015. "The Effect of Contracting Out Low Performing Schools on Student Performance," Working Papers 1521, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    4. João Lourenço Marques & Muhammad Tufail & Jan Wolf & Mara Madaleno, 2021. "Population Growth and the Local Provision of Services: The Role of Primary Schools in Portugal," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 40(2), pages 309-335, April.
    5. Kozhaya, Mireille, 2022. "The double burden: The impact of school closures on labor force participation of mothers," Ruhr Economic Papers 956, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    6. Georges Landeghem, 2024. "Counting pupils moving between elusive schools: between-school pupil mobility in the Flemish primary education market," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 4433-4457, October.

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    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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