RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Fiscal and Education Spillovers from Charter School Expansion
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 0321-11538R2
DO 10.3368/jhr.0321-11538R2
A1 Ridley, Matthew
A1 Terrier, Camille
YR 2023
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2023/08/02/jhr.0321-11538R2.abstract
AB Do charter schools drain resources and high-achieving peers from non-charter schools? We provide new evidence on the fiscal and educational consequences of charter expansion for non-charter students in Massachusetts, which temporarily compensates districts losing students to charter schools. Exploiting a 2011 reform that lifted caps on charter schools for underperforming districts, we use complementary synthetic control (SC) and differences- in-differences instrumental variables (IV-DiD) estimators. Our results suggest charter expansion leaves districts’ overall per-pupil revenue and expenditure unchanged, but induces districts to shift expenditure from capital investment and support services to instruction and salaries, and ultimately increases non-charter students’ achievement in math.