The Short-Term Effects of School Consolidation on Student Achievement: Evidence of Disruption?

54 Pages Posted: 9 Nov 2016

See all articles by Louise Voldby Beuchert

Louise Voldby Beuchert

Aarhus University - Aarhus University Hospital

Maria Knoth Humlum

Aarhus University

Helena Skyt Nielsen

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Nina Smith

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Date Written: September 20, 2016

Abstract

We exploit variation stemming from school consolidations in Denmark from 2010-2011 to analyze the impact on student achievement as measured by test scores. For each student we observe enrollment and test scores one year prior to school consolidation and up to four years after. We find that school consolidation has adverse effects on achievement in the short run and that these effects are most pronounced for students exposed to school closings. Furthermore, students initially enrolled in small schools experience the most detrimental effects. The effects appear to weaken over time, suggesting that part of the effect is due to disruption.

Keywords: school size, school resources, disruption effects, educational production function, test scores

JEL Classification: I210, J240

Suggested Citation

Voldby Beuchert, Louise and Humlum, Maria Knoth and Nielsen, Helena Skyt and Smith, Nina, The Short-Term Effects of School Consolidation on Student Achievement: Evidence of Disruption? (September 20, 2016). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 6082, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2866373 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2866373

Louise Voldby Beuchert

Aarhus University - Aarhus University Hospital ( email )

Department of Infectious Disease
Department of Clinical Medicine
Aarhus, 8200
Denmark

Maria Knoth Humlum

Aarhus University ( email )

Nordre Ringgade 1
DK-8000 Aarhus C, 8000
Denmark

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.au.dk/afn/PhD/humlummk.htm

Helena Skyt Nielsen (Contact Author)

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business Economics ( email )

Fuglesangs Alle 4
Aarhus, 8210
Denmark

HOME PAGE: http://person.au.dk/hnielsen@econ.au.dk

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Nina Smith

Aarhus University - Department of Economics and Business Economics ( email )

Universitetsparken
DK-8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
+45 8948 6413 (Phone)
+45 8615 5175 (Fax)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
51
Abstract Views
702
Rank
693,765
PlumX Metrics