Can I choose to have grit? Non-cognitive skills, behavior, and school choice

ABSTRACT

With the introduction of school choice as a viable option of school reform, researchers have begun to look beyond academic achievement to the effects of choice on alternative outcomes. Recently, non-cognitive skills and behavior stand at the front of those alternative outcomes. From the most up to date relevant literature it appears that school choice has adverse effects on non-cognitive skills but positive effects on behavior. The potential presence of reference group bias highlights the possibility that the negative effects of choice on non-cognitive skills may not be real.

KEYWORDS:

• character
• non-cognitive skills
• school choice
• student behavior

Notes

^1. The DID analysis measures the difference between the average outcomes for the treatment and control groups assuming they have the same trends in the absence of the intervention.

^2. The ITT estimates report the effects of winning the charter lottery compared to not winning the lottery.

^3. The TOT estimates report the effects of attending a charter school compared to attending another school.

^4. The FE analysis works to remove selection and omitted variable bias by measuring change within an individual by using the individuals past as the counterfactual.

^5. The 2SLS analysis uses the prediction of charter attendance based on being offered admission to estimate an unbiased effect of charter attendance on various outcomes.

^6. The IOT analysis uses lottery results as an instrument of charter attendance to estimate the impact of charter attendance on various outcomes.

^7. The LATE effects measure the average effect of attending HCZ by way of winning the lottery.