Paper Summary
Share...

Direct link:

The Effect of Dropping Out of High School on Mathematics Ability: A Propensity Score Analysis

Mon, April 11, 10:00 to 11:30am, Marriott Marquis, Floor: Level Four, Independence Salon F

Abstract

This study demonstrates the effect of dropping out or “stopping out” (where a student drops out but returns) on mathematics ability. The analysis follows Rosenbaum’s (1986) study of the effects of dropping out for high school students, but differs in two substantial ways: (1) the data is from the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:2009/13); and (2) inverse propensity score weighting is used to estimate the effect of the dropping/stopping out on those students that dropped/stopped out (the ATT). The choice of covariates for the models is guided by research on why students choose to drop/stop out of school, satisfying the important assumption of strong ignorability. Results show negative effects for both dropouts and stopouts.

Authors