The conflicting evidence over class size effects drawn from observational (or correlational) studies on academic achievement or labor market outcomes has provoked great debate in both academic and public policy arenas. The recent experimental evidence from the United States due to the Project...

This paper draws on recent empirical evidence to look at how human capital policies in New Zealand can achieve "Inclusive Economy" objectives. In particular it looks at evidence on policies that are best to promote growth, and to improve the distribution of well-being; whether they are the same,...

Über die Frage, ob bzw. in welcher Höhe Eltern Beiträge für die Bildung und Betreuung ihrer Kinder in Kindertageseinrichtungen zahlen sollen, wird immer wieder und auch aktuell im Bundestagswahlkampf 2017 diskutiert. In Deutschland unterscheidet sich die Praxis bei der Erhebung der...

A non-trivial portion of traffic fatalities involve alcohol or illicit drugs. But does substance use—which is linked to depression, suicide, and criminal activity—also reduce academic performance? Recent studies suggest that the consumption of alcohol has a negative effect on the grades of...

In recent decades, the number of university students worldwide who have received some part of their education abroad has been rising rapidly. Despite the popularity of international student exchange programs, however, debate continues over what students actually gain from this experience. A...

As concerns over growing levels of student loan debt continue to mount for both students and taxpayers, many have called for an improved accountability system in the U.S. higher education system. In this policy brief, I discuss the many flaws in our current system, and outline how a system known...

Holzer and Baum's recent book, 'Making College Work: Pathways to Success for Disadvantaged Students,' provides an excellent up-to-date review of higher education. My review first summarizes its key themes: 1) who gains from college and why? 2) mismatch and the need for more structure; 3) problems...

We estimate the impact on education outcomes of the Universal Child Allowance (AUH), a massive conditional cash transfer program targeted at young children of unemployed and informal workers launched in Argentina in late 2009. Evidence from previous works suggests that the AUH has had a...

Recent research has found that black students have worse performance than white students on standardized cognitive tests. Racial segregation is frequently pointed out as one of the main factors behind this situation in the international literature. We studied the effects of racial segregation on...