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Shifting the bell curve: The benefits and costs of raising student achievement

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  • Yeh, Stuart S.

Abstract

Benefit-cost analysis was conducted to estimate the increase in earnings, increased tax revenues, value of less crime, and reductions in welfare costs attributable to nationwide implementation of rapid assessment, a promising intervention for raising student achievement in math and reading. Results suggest that social benefits would exceed total social costs by a ratio of 28. Fiscal benefits to the federal government would exceed costs to the federal treasury by a ratio of 93. Social benefits would exceed costs to each state treasury by a ratio no lower than 286, and fiscal benefits would exceed costs to each state treasury by a ratio no lower than 5, for all but two state treasuries. Sensitivity analyses suggest that the findings are robust to a 5-fold change in the underlying parameters.

Suggested Citation

  • Yeh, Stuart S., 2009. "Shifting the bell curve: The benefits and costs of raising student achievement," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 74-82, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:32:y:2009:i:1:p:74-82
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