Heterogenous parental responses to education quality. Issue 3 (4th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chan, Eric W.
• Is Part Of: Education economics. Volume 30:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 225
• Page End: 250
• Publication Date: 2022-05-04
• Subjects: Parental investments -- parent engagement -- gifted -- tracking; I21 -- I28; Education -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; 338.4737
• DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2021.1974345
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-5292

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Are parental inputs complements or substitutes to education quality? Using variation induced by identification into a gifted and talented (GT) program, I find no aggregate effects on parental behavior as a result of their child's access to a higher quality education. However, there are heterogeneous effects. Non-minority parents decrease engagement but increase tutoring. Minority and low-income parents increase engagement and increase both tutoring and in-home homework help. Results suggest that parental investments are not necessarily a strict complement or substitute but is nuanced dependent on demographic factors. I provide suggestive evidence that the primary mechanism is parental beliefs.