Treatment Sequence as Dosage in Educational Interventions: The Case of Multiyear Summer Learning Programs

• In Event: Evaluations of Elementary Literacy Programs

Abstract

For many educational interventions, little is known about when, how long, or how often students ought to attend to reap the most benefit. I argue that educational researchers ought to consider this temporal-sequential dimension of intervention dosage. Using data from five public school districts in Ontario, Canada, this paper estimates the joint effect of attending voluntary summer learning programs after grades 1 and 2 on numeracy skill in grade 3. A novel statistical technique—regression-with-residuals—is used to appropriately account for student self-selection into the programs based on their time-varying characteristics. Results suggest that the timing of program attendance may matter for student outcomes and that more summers of attendance may not bring more benefit.

Author

• Zahide Alaca, University of Toronto