Disaggregating the Effects of STEM Education and Apprenticeships on Economic Mobility: Evidence From the LaunchCode Program

• In Event: Unearthing Educators' Voice and Perspectives: Analyzing Conditions in the Classrooms and Schools

Abstract

Despite an increase in employer-aligned certificate and apprenticeship programs, there is limited research examining the impact of these programs on economic outcomes. In order to fill these gaps, we conduct a large-scale impact analysis on LC101, a unique technology certificate and apprenticeship program offered by LaunchCode. By using entrance exam scores as an instrumental variable, we conduct an intent-to-treat model, finding that being accepted into the program was significantly associated with increased earnings, as well as increased probabilities of working in a STEM profession. Then, by using machine-learning generated multinomial propensity score weights, we conduct a treatment on treated model, finding that these increases appear to be primarily driven by the apprenticeship component.

Authors

• Jason F. Jabbari, Washington University in St. Louis
  Presenting Author

• Yung Chun, Washington University in St. Louis
  Non-Presenting Author

• Wenrui Huang, Johns Hopkins University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Stephen Roll
  Non-Presenting Author