Understanding Leaks in the Educational Pipeline: An Event History Analysis of College Readiness

• In Event: College Readiness and Implications for Student Success

Abstract

Studies have shown that inequalities in college enrollment have roots early in the postsecondary pipeline. Inequalities in academic performance in eighth or ninth grade may feed into inequalities in the upper grades, constraining the college options students have available. Although early warning systems are well-developed for high school dropout, few studies analyze potential indicators of college readiness and determine when practitioners may wish to intervene. Using district administrative data and discrete-time event history analysis, we find that the ninth-grade transition is difficult for students in terms of earning high grades and advanced course credits. Test score outcomes show dissimilar patterns, perhaps because they do not adequately capture student effort or the structural move from middle to high school.

Author

• Brian Holzman, Rice University