Out of work and into school: Labor market policies and college enrollment during the Great Recession

Andrew Barr and Sarah Turner

Journal of Public Economics, 2015, vol. 124, issue C, 63-73

Abstract: The Great Recession brought large increases in unemployment and college enrollment; we examine how changing state labor market conditions and state-specific variation in Unemployment Insurance (UI) interact to affect enrollment outcomes. We identify a substantial role of the UI program in affecting post-secondary enrollment choices. We provide some of the first evidence that the duration of UI affects a displaced individual's propensity to enroll, and suggestive evidence that these effects are larger in states with more inclusive approved training laws. These findings identify a substantial overlap between UI policy and post-secondary enrollment decisions, indicating the potential importance of UI in not only providing income but also facilitating investments in skills.

Keywords: Higher education; UI policy; Great Recession (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (56)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Out of Work and Into School: Labor Market Policies and College Enrollment During the Great Recession (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:124:y:2015:i:c:p:63-73

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2014.12.009

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