How Much More Does a Disadvantaged Student Cost?

William D. Duncombe and John Yinger
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William D. Duncombe: Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/research/center-for-policy-research

No 60, Center for Policy Research Working Papers from Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University

Abstract: This paper provides a guide to statistically based methods for estimating the extra costs of educating disadvantaged students, shows how these methods are related, and compares state aid programs that account for these costs in different ways. We show how pupil weights, which are included in many state programs, can be estimated from an education cost equation, which many scholars use to obtain an education cost index, and we devise a method to estimate pupil weights directly. Using data from New York, we show that the distribution of state aid is similar with statistically based pupil weights and an educational cost index. Finally, we show that large, urban school districts with a high concentration of disadvantaged students would receive far more aid (and rich suburban districts would receive far less aid) if statistically based pupil weights were used instead of the ad hoc weights in existing state aid programs.

JEL-codes: C15 H52 I22 I28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 45 pages
Date: 2004-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu and nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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https://surface.syr.edu/cpr/103/ (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: How much more does a disadvantaged student cost? (2005)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:max:cprwps:60

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