What's in a Label? The Long-Term Effects of Student Labels

• In Event: 18.054 - Factors That Affect School Attendance

Abstract

Students receive labels on their performance on statewide tests, but there is a dearth of research on how this information impacts future academic achievement and behavioral outcomes. Employing a regression discontinuity approach, we find that students with a more negative label have lower test scores over time and increased school absences five years later. We also find that the likelihood of suspension increases in the following year, but not over time. By using a regression discontinuity design to address concerns around selection, our analyses estimate plausibly causal effects, and suggest that a negative performance label has long-term negative effects.

Authors

• Tanya Natasha Sanabria, University of California - Irvine

• Andrew Penner, University of California - Irvine