An extra year to learn English? Early grade retention and the human capital development of English learners

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Figlio, David; Ozek, Umut
• 署名单位: Northwestern University; National Bureau of Economic Research; American Institutes for Research
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104184
• 发表日期: 2020
• 关键词: grade retention; English learners; Time to proficiency; human capital

摘要

In this study, we use microdata from 12 Florida county-level school districts to examine the effects of early grade retention on the short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes of English learners in a regression discontinuity design. We find that retention in the third grade coupled with instructional support substantially improves the English skills of these students, reducing the lime to proficiency by half and decreasing the likelihood of taking a remedial English course in middle school by one-third. Grade retention also roughly doubles the likelihood of taking an advanced course in math and science in middle school, and triples the likelihood of taking college credit-bearing courses in high school for English learners. We do not find any adverse effects of the policy on disciplinary problems or absences among English learners. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.