Permanent Income and the Black-White Test Score GapRothstein, Jesse.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
Abstract: Analysts often examine the black-white test score gap conditional on current family income. We describe a method for identifying the gap conditional on the family's permanent income. Current income explains only about half as much of the black-white test gap as does permanent income, and the gap among families with the same permanent income is only 0.2 to 0.3 standard deviations in two commonly used samples. When we add permanent income to the controls used by Fryer and Levitt (2006), the unexplained gap in third grade shrinks below 0.15 SDs, less than half of what is found with their controls.
Permanent Income and the Black-White Test Score GapRothstein, Jesse.; Wozny, Nathan N.,
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
Analysts often examine the black-white test score gap conditional on current family income. We describe a method for identifying the gap conditional on the family's permanent income. Current income explains only about half as much of the black-white test gap as does permanent income, and the gap among families with the same permanent income is only 0.2 to 0.3 standard deviations in two commonly used samples. When we add permanent income to the controls used by Fryer and Levitt (2006), the unexplained gap in third grade shrinks below 0.15 SDs, less than half of what is found with their controls.
College Major Choice and the Gender GapZafar, Basit.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
Abstract: This paper studies how college majors are chosen, focusing on the underlying gender gap. I collect a data set of Northwestern University sophomores that contains their subjective expectations about choice-specific outcomes, and estimate a model where majors are chosen under uncertainty. Enjoying coursework, and gaining parents' approval are the most important determinants in the choice for both genders. However, males and females differ in their preferences in the workplace, with males caring about the pecuniary outcomes in the workplace much more than females. The gender gap is mainly due to gender differences in preferences and tastes, and not because females are underconfident about their academic ability or fear monetary discrimination. The findings in this paper make a case for policies that change attitudes toward gender roles.
College Major Choice and the Gender GapZafar, Basit.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
This paper studies how college majors are chosen, focusing on the underlying gender gap. I collect a data set of Northwestern University sophomores that contains their subjective expectations about choice-specific outcomes, and estimate a model where majors are chosen under uncertainty. Enjoying coursework, and gaining parents' approval are the most important determinants in the choice for both genders. However, males and females differ in their preferences in the workplace, with males caring about the pecuniary outcomes in the workplace much more than females. The gender gap is mainly due to gender differences in preferences and tastes, and not because females are underconfident about their academic ability or fear monetary discrimination. The findings in this paper make a case for policies that change attitudes toward gender roles.
Adoption Subsidies and Placement Outcomes for Children in Foster CareBuckles, Kasey S.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
More than 400,000 children in the United States are currently in foster care, many of whom are at risk for long-lasting emotional and health problems. The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 provided federal funds for monthly adoption subsidies designed to promote adoptions of special-needs children and children in foster care. Using data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Systems, I find that the number of adoptions increases when children become subsidy-eligible, and that most of the increase is from adoptions by foster parents. Conditional on adoption, subsidy eligibility decreases time spent in foster care.
Adoption Subsidies and Placement Outcomes for Children in Foster CareBuckles, Kasey S.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
Abstract: More than 400,000 children in the United States are currently in foster care, many of whom are at risk for long-lasting emotional and health problems. The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 provided federal funds for monthly adoption subsidies designed to promote adoptions of special-needs children and children in foster care. Using data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Systems, I find that the number of adoptions increases when children become subsidy-eligible, and that most of the increase is from adoptions by foster parents. Conditional on adoption, subsidy eligibility decreases time spent in foster care.
Wage Mobility of Foreign-Born Workers in the United StatesKim, Seik.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
Abstract: This paper presents new evidence on whether foreign-born workers assimilate. While the existing literature focuses on the convergence / divergence of average wages, this study extends the analysis to the distribution of wages by looking at wage mobility. We measure the foreign-native gap in year-to-year transition probabilities from one decile group to another of a wage distribution, where the deciles are determined by native samples. Our results, based on the Current Population Survey for 1996-2008, suggest that immigrants in middle and bottom decile groups, who are the majority of immigrants, tend to fall behind relative to natives in the same decile groups.
Wage Mobility of Foreign-Born Workers in the United StatesKim, Seik.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
This paper presents new evidence on whether foreign-born workers assimilate. While the existing literature focuses on the convergence / divergence of average wages, this study extends the analysis to the distribution of wages by looking at wage mobility. We measure the foreign-native gap in year-to-year transition probabilities from one decile group to another of a wage distribution, where the deciles are determined by native samples. Our results, based on the Current Population Survey for 1996-2008, suggest that immigrants in middle and bottom decile groups, who are the majority of immigrants, tend to fall behind relative to natives in the same decile groups.
Bounds on Average and Quantile Treatment Effects of Job Corps Training on WagesBlanco, German.; Flores, Carlos A.; Flores-Lagunes, Alfonso.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
We review and extend nonparametric partial identification results for average and quantile treatment effects in the presence of sample selection. These methods are applied to assessing the wage effects of Job Corps, United States' largest job-training program targeting disadvantaged youth. Excluding Hispanics, our estimates suggest positive program effects on wages both at the mean and throughout the wage distribution. Across the demographic groups analyzed, the statistically significant estimated average and quantile treatment effects are bounded between 4.6 and 12 percent, and 2.7 and 14 percent, respectively. We also document that the program's wage effects vary across quantiles and demographic groups.
Bounds on Average and Quantile Treatment Effects of Job Corps Training on WagesBlanco, German.
2013 Journal of Human Resources
doi:
Abstract: We review and extend nonparametric partial identification results for average and quantile treatment effects in the presence of sample selection. These methods are applied to assessing the wage effects of Job Corps, United States' largest job-training program targeting disadvantaged youth. Excluding Hispanics, our estimates suggest positive program effects on wages both at the mean and throughout the wage distribution. Across the demographic groups analyzed, the statistically significant estimated average and quantile treatment effects are bounded between 4.6 and 12 percent, and 2.7 and 14 percent, respectively. We also document that the program's wage effects vary across quantiles and demographic groups.