School Choice, School Quality, and Postsecondary Attainment

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Deming, David J.; Hastings, Justine S.; Kane, Thomas J.; Staiger, Douglas O.
• 署名单位: Harvard University; Brown University; Harvard University; Dartmouth College
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.104.3.991
• 发表日期: 2014
• 页码: 991-1013
• 关键词: achievement evidence; gender-differences; public-schools; ECONOMICS; identification; intervention; education; returns; TRENDS; matter

摘要

We study the impact of a public school choice lottery in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools on college enrollment and degree completion. We find a significant overall increase in college attainment among lottery winners who attend their first-choice school. Using rich administrative data on peers, teachers, course offerings, and other inputs, we show that the impacts of choice are strongly predicted by gains on several measures of school quality. Gains in attainment are concentrated among girls. Girls respond to attending a better school with higher grades and increases in college-preparatory course taking, while boys do not.