Table 4

Estimated Effect of Earning the More Positive Performance Label on College-Going Behavior at Different Cutoffs for Urban, Low-Income Students Scoring Near the Cut Point, by Whether They Express Plans to Attend a Four-Year College After High School

OutcomeStudents with College PlansStudents Without College PlansSample Size
Panel I: Eighth grade
Needs improvement/warning cutoff:
    Express four-year college plans (grade 10)0.009
(0.031)		0.040~
(0.021)		3,824
h = 5
Proficient/needs improvement cutoff:
    Express four-year college plans (grade 10)−0.028
(0.012)		0.062
(0.051)		4,487
h = 8
Advanced/proficient cutoff:
  Express four-year college plans
(grade 10)		0.007
(0.023)		0.137~
(0.071)		2,294
h = 8
Panel II: Tenth grade
Proficient/needs improvement cutoff:
  College attendance−0.002
(0.014)		0.013
(0.032)		6,609
h = 6
Advanced/proficient cutoff:
  College attendance0.027
(0.035)		0.099**
(0.033)		3,316
h = 8

  • Notes:

  • ↵~ p < 0.10;

  • ↵* p < 0.05;

  • ** p < 0.01;

  • *** p < 0.001. Cell entries include parameter estimates, standard errors (in parentheses), and approximate p-value. All inferences from two-tailed hypothesis tests. Estimated effects from a local linear regression-discontinuity model from Equation 2 using observations within one bandwidth on either side of the cutoff, with the following control predictors: student race, gender, whether the student was new to the state, was currently or formerly classified as limited English proficient or required special education, and the fixed effect of cohort.