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Examining the achievement test score gap between urban and suburban students

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  • Jonathan Sandy
  • Kevin Duncan

Abstract

Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience for Youth (1997 cohort) are used to examine the urban school achievement gap. Specifically, we use the Blinder-Oaxaca technique to decompose differences in Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery scores for students who attended urban and suburban schools. We find that approximately 75% of the gap in this achievement measure is explained by the high concentration of disadvantaged students in urban schools. Broken down further, 36% of the gap can be attributed to differences in family background. The lower income of urban families alone explains 25% of the gap. Differences in measures of school quality, such as small classes, large schools, and private school attendance, explain very little of the gap. While current policy focuses on schools and school reform, our results are a reminder that meaningful efforts to improve performance in urban schools must address socioeconomic conditions in urban areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan Sandy & Kevin Duncan, 2010. "Examining the achievement test score gap between urban and suburban students," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 297-315.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:18:y:2010:i:3:p:297-315
    DOI: 10.1080/09645290903465713
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Patacchini, Eleonora & Zenou, Yves, 2007. "The Racial Test Score Gap and Parental Involvement in Britain," IZA Discussion Papers 2613, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    Cited by:

    1. Guyonne Kalb & Sholeh Maani, 2011. "How important are omitted variables, censored scores and self-selection in analysing high-school academic achievement?," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 14(3), pages 307-332.
    2. Muhammad Jehangir Khan, 2019. "School Quality and Parental Schooling Decisions for Their Children: Public and Private Schools in Rural Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 58(2), pages 177-202.
    3. Kalb, Guyonne & van Ours, Jan C., 2014. "Reading to young children: A head-start in life?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 1-24.
    4. Fleury, Nicolas, 2013. "How large second-generation migrants and natives differ in terms of human capital accumulation and why? Empirical evidence for France," MPRA Paper 50682, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Botezat Alina, 2012. "Decomposing The Gap In School Achievement Between Finland And Romania '" Some Methodological Aspects," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 165-171, December.
    6. Amini, Chiara & Nivorozhkin, Eugene, 2015. "The urban–rural divide in educational outcomes: Evidence from Russia," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 118-133.
    7. Kingsley Nyarko & Nuworza Kugbey & Collins Courage Kofi & Yaa Adubea Cole & Kobina Impraim Adentwi, 2018. "English Reading Proficiency and Academic Performance Among Lower Primary School Children in Ghana," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(3), pages 21582440187, August.
    8. Sebhatu, Abiel & Wennberg, Karl & Lakomaa, Erik & Brandén, Maria, 2021. "More Schools, Less Trouble? Competition and Schools’ Work Environment, Sweden 1999–2011," Working Papers 21/1, Stockholm School of Economics, Center for Educational Leadership and Excellence.

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