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Experimentally estimated impacts of school vouchers on college enrollment and degree attainment

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  • Chingos, Matthew M.
  • Peterson, Paul E.

Abstract

We provide the first experimental estimates of the long-term impacts of a voucher to attend private school by linking data from a privately sponsored voucher initiative in New York City, which awarded the scholarships by lottery to low-income families, to administrative records on college enrollment and degree attainment. We find no significant effects on college enrollment or four-year degree attainment of the offer of a voucher. However, we find substantial, marginally significant impacts for minority students and large, significant impacts for the children of women born in the United States. Negative point estimates for the children of non-minority and foreign-born mothers are not statistically significant at conventional levels. The information needed to match students to administrative data on postsecondary outcomes was available for 99% of the sample. We find evidence of substantial bias due to attrition in the original evaluation, which relied on data collected at follow-up sessions.

Suggested Citation

  • Chingos, Matthew M. & Peterson, Paul E., 2015. "Experimentally estimated impacts of school vouchers on college enrollment and degree attainment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 1-12.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:122:y:2015:i:c:p:1-12
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2014.11.013
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    1. Trivitt, Julie & Cheng, Albert, 2016. "When you say nothing at all: The predictive power of student effort on surveysAuthor-Name: Hitt, Collin," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 105-119.
    2. Michael Dinerstein & Troy D. Smith, 2021. "Quantifying the Supply Response of Private Schools to Public Policies," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(10), pages 3376-3417, October.
    3. Nano, Enrico & Panizza, Ugo & Viarengo, Martina, 2024. "Merit-based scholarships for university graduates: A generation of Italian economists," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    4. repec:jpe:journl:1572 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Panizza, Ugo & Nano, Enrico & Viarengo, Martina, 2021. "A Generation of Italian Economists," CEPR Discussion Papers 16135, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Brian P. Gill & Jennifer S. Lerner & Paul Meosky, "undated". "Re-Imagining Accountability in K-12 Education: A Behavioral Science Perspective," Mathematica Policy Research Reports d0c19d0709b641259fe391b2e, Mathematica Policy Research.
    7. McKendrick, Andrew & Walker, Ian, 2020. "The Role of Faith and Faith Schooling in Educational, Economic, and Faith Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 13192, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Dennis Epple & Richard E. Romano & Miguel Urquiola, 2017. "School Vouchers: A Survey of the Economics Literature," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(2), pages 441-492, June.
    9. repec:jpe:journl:1705 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Nomoto, Soma, 2024. "The effect of free Tuition in private High schools on the High school dropout rate," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    11. Alessandrini, Diana & Milla, Joniada, 2022. "School Choice and Higher Education Attainment," IZA Discussion Papers 15330, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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