Welfare Reform and Children's Short-Run Attainments
34 Pages Posted: 21 Aug 2008 Last revised: 10 Sep 2008
Date Written: September 8, 2008
Abstract
Using PIAT Math test score as a measure of attainment, we find that both single mothers' work and welfare use in the first five years of their children's lives have a positive effect on children's outcomes, but this effect declines with initial ability. The higher the initial ability of a child, the lower the positive impact work and welfare have. In fact, in the case of welfare the effect is negative if a child has more than median initial ability. Furthermore, we find that the work requirement reduces a single mother's use of welfare. However, the net effect of the work requirement on a child's test score depends on whether the mother's work brings in enough labor income to compensate for the loss of welfare benefits. We also look at the implications of the welfare eligibility time limit and maternal leave policies on children's outcomes.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
Subsidizing the Stork: New Evidence on Tax Incentives and Fertility
-
Is There an Effect of Incremental Welfare Benefits on Fertility Behavior? A Look at the Family Cap
-
Fertility and Financial Incentives in France
By Guy Laroque and Bernard Salanie
-
Does Parental Leave Affect Fertility and Return-to-Work? Evidence from a True Natural Experiment
By Rafael Lalive and Josef Zweimüller
-
Fertility, Female Labor Supply and Public Policy
By Patricia F. Apps and Ray Rees
-
Does Fertility Respond to Financial Incentives?
By Guy Laroque and Bernard Salanie
-
Does Fertility Respond to Financial Incentives?
By Guy Laroque and Bernard Salanie
-
Welfare Reform and Non-Marital Fertility in the 1990s: Evidence from Birth Records
By Theodore Joyce, Robert Kaestner, ...