Are students in receiving schools hurt by the closing of low-Performing schools? Effects of school closures on receiving schools in Sweden 2000–2016. (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Taghizadeh, Jonas Larsson
• Is Part Of: Economics of education review. Volume 78(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: School closures -- Student displacement -- Peer effects -- Student achievement -- School choice -- Economies of scale; I21 -- I28; Education -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; 370
• DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2020.102020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-7757

Abstract

Highlights: In contrast to previous studies, which primarily studied the average effects of school closures on students in receiving schools, this study takes a closer look at the effects of closing low-performing schools. The study also contributes by analyzing how such closures influence the receiving schools and their students over time, by including more measures of the demographic composition of the schools and by investigating a country outside the US. The results show that the inflow of displaced students had a negative effect on student outcomes in Swedish receiving schools in terms of average grades and test scores and that this effect increased over time. Student achievement among students in the receiving schools was generally not affected by the inflow of displaced students, even when these students came from relatively low-performing schools. Abstract: This article aims to investigate how students in receiving schools are affected by school closures. The effects are analyzed in a quasi-experimental study of all Swedish middle schools that received displaced students from 2000 to 2016, utilizing family fixed effects. The results show that the inflow of displaced students had a negative effect on student outcomes in the receiving schools in terms of average grades and test scores and that this effect increased over time. However, student achievement among nondisplaced students in the receiving schools was not affected by the inflow of displaced students, even when the displaced students came from relatively low-performing schools.