Impact of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program: Achievement Effects for Students in Upper Elementary and Middle School

This paper examines the impact of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program on student achievement for low-income students in upper elementary and middle school who used a voucher to transfer from public to private schools during the first four years of the program. We analyzed student-level longitudin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of policy analysis and management 2018-10, Vol.37 (4), p.783-808
Main Authors: Waddington, R. Joseph, Berends, Mark
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Comparative Analysis
Educational Opportunities
Educational Vouchers
Elementary School Students
English
First year
Humanities
Language Arts
Longitudinal Studies
Low Income
Mathematics
Mathematics Achievement
Middle School Students
Middle schools
Private Schools
Public Schools
Scholarship
School Choice
Standardized Tests
Students
Vouchers
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Summary:This paper examines the impact of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program on student achievement for low-income students in upper elementary and middle school who used a voucher to transfer from public to private schools during the first four years of the program. We analyzed student-level longitudinal data from public and private schools taking the same statewide standardized assessment. Overall, voucher students experienced an average achievement loss of 0,15 SDs in mathematics during their first year of attending a private school compared with matched students who remained in a public school. This loss persisted regardless of the length of time spent in a private school. In English/Language Arts, we did not observe statistically meaningful effects. Although school vouchers aim to provide greater educational opportunities for students, the goal of improving the academic performance of low-income students who use a voucher to move to a private school has not yet been realized in Indiana.
ISSN:0276-8739
1520-6688
DOI:10.1002/pam.22086