The Effect of High School Exit Exams on Graduation, Employment, Wages and Incarceration / Olesya Baker, Kevin Lang.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Baker, Olesya.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Lang, Kevin.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w19182.

NBER working paper series no. w19182

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2013.

Summary:

We evaluate the effects of high school exit exams on high school graduation, incarceration, employment and wages. We construct a state/graduation-cohort dataset using the Current Population Survey, Census and information on exit exams. We find relatively modest effects of high school exit exams except on incarceration. Exams assessing academic skills below the high school level have little effect. However, more challenging standards-based exams reduce graduation and increase incarceration rates. About half the reduction in graduation rates is offset by increased GED receipt. We find no consistent effects of exit exams on employment or the distribution of wages.

Notes:

Print version record

June 2013.