The Impact of Youth Service on Future Outcomes: Evidence from Teach For America

Will Dobbie and Roland Fryer ()

No 17402, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Nearly one million American youth have participated in service programs such as Peace Corps and Teach For America. This paper provides the first causal estimate of the impact of service programs on those who serve, using data from a web-based survey of former Teach For America applicants. We estimate the effect of voluntary youth service using a sharp discontinuity in the Teach For America application process. Participating in Teach For America increases racial tolerance, makes individuals more optimistic about the life chances of poor children, and makes them more likely to work in education. We argue that these facts are broadly consistent with the "Contact Hypothesis," which states that, under appropriate conditions, interpersonal contact can reduce prejudice.

JEL-codes: I00 J01 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-09
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published as Will Dobbie & Roland G. Fryer, Jr., 2015. "The Impact of Voluntary Youth Service on Future Outcomes: Evidence from Teach For America," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, vol 15(3), pages 1031-1065.

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