Although schools across the country are investing heavily in computers in the classroom, there is surprisingly little evidence that they actually improve student achievement. In this paper we present results from a randomized study of a well-defined use of computers in schools: a popular...

Discrimination against women has been alleged in hiring practices for many occupations, but it is extremely difficult to demonstrate sex-biased hiring. A change in the way symphony orchestras recruit musicians provides an unusual way to test for sex-biased hiring. To overcome possible biases in...

In CPS data, the 20% of the civilian labor force with 1-3 years of college earn 15% more than high school graduates. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of1972 which includes postsecondary transcript data and the NLSY to study the distinct returns to 2-year...

We study the effects of a change in financial aid policy introduced by a Northeastern university in 1998. Prior to that time, the university’s financial aid packages for low income students consisted of grants, loans, and campus jobs. After the change, the entire loan portion of the package...

Using math and reading test score gains, the author compares the achievement of students in the nonsectarian private schools participating in Milwaukee's Parental Choice Program with the achievement of students in a wide range of Milwaukee's public schools. Her results point to the need for a...

Many argue schools that serve inner-city and rural children are in "crisis." This paper reviews the best available evidence on the effects of class size and school vouchers. Results from the Tennessee STAR experiment suggest smaller class sizes improve achievement, particularly for inner-city...