Characterizing Cross-Site Variation in Local Average Treatment Effects in Multisite Regression Discontinuity Designs Contexts with an Application to High School Math Graduation Requirements

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Abstract

Characterizing Cross-Site Variation in Local Average Treatment Effects in Multisite Regression Discontinuity Designs Contexts with an Application to High School Math Graduation Requirements

In multisite experiments, we can quantify treatment effect variation with the cross-site treatment effect variance. However, there is no standard method for estimating cross-site treatment effect variance in multisite regression discontinuity designs (RDD). In this research, we rectify this gap in the literature by developing and validating a method based on random effects meta-analysis. We also evaluate two fixed intercepts/random coefficients (FIRC) models based on prior RDD studies and use simulation to demonstrate their unsuitability. We then apply our model to a high school exit exam policy in Massachusetts that required students who passed the high school exit exam but were still determined to be nonproficient to complete an “Education Proficiency Plan” (EPP). We find the EPP policy had a positive local average treatment effect on whether students completed a math course their senior year, but that the treatment effect variance was large enough in three cohorts for the treatment effect to have been negative in more than a third of high schools.

Author

• Sophie Litschwartz, Abt Associates Inc.