ERIC Number: EJ1386913
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Sep
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-3737
EISSN: EISSN-1935-1062
The Effect of School District Consolidation on Student Achievement: Evidence from Arkansas
McGee, Josh B.; Mills, Jonathan N.; Goldstein, Jessica S.
Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, v45 n3 p482-495 Sep 2023
School district consolidation is one of the most widespread education reforms of the last century, but surprisingly little research has directly investigated its effectiveness. To examine the impact of consolidation on student achievement, this study takes advantage of a policy that requires the consolidation of all Arkansas school districts with enrollment of fewer than 350 students for two consecutive school years. Using a regression discontinuity model, we find that consolidation has either null or small positive impacts on student achievement in math and English Language Arts (ELA). We do not find evidence that consolidation in Arkansas results in positive economies of scale, either by reducing overall cost or by allowing for a greater share of resources to be spent in the classroom.
Descriptors: Consolidated Schools, School Districts, Academic Achievement, Mathematics Achievement, Language Arts, Economic Factors, Educational Policy, School Restructuring, Enrollment
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2993
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Arkansas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A