IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/chieco/v43y2017icp16-28.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of an Academic High School Tuition Relief Program on Students’ Matriculation into High Schools in Rural China

Author

Listed:
  • Bai, Yunli
  • Zhang, Linxiu
  • Yi, Hongmei
  • Zheng, Liming
  • Rozelle, Scott

Abstract

By 2010, only one-quarter of workers in China had received a high school (HS) education. One of the root causes of this low rate is that China has the highest HS tuition fees globally. Although the Chinese government has implemented a series of programs to reduce the cost of attending vocational HS, the cost of attending academic HS in China emains high. This study evaluates the extent to which an academic HS tuition relief program initiated by a poor county in western China affects students' schooling decisions after graduation from junior high school. By using a longitudinal dataset of 2348 students in two counties, we use ordinary least squares and propensity score matching to evaluate the impact of this program on four student outcomes: matriculation into academic HS, matriculation into vocational HS, entering the labor market, and retaking high school entrance exams. The results show that the program significantly increased matriculation into academic HS by 21 percentage points, while it reduced matriculation into vocational HS by 7 percentage points, the likelihood of entering the labor market by 11.9percentage points, and the likelihood of retaking exams by 2.1 percentage points. Further, we find that the effects of the program among middle-income students are stronger compared with those of other groups. And we found that the program had no significantly heterogeneous impact on students with different academic performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Bai, Yunli & Zhang, Linxiu & Yi, Hongmei & Zheng, Liming & Rozelle, Scott, 2017. "The Impact of an Academic High School Tuition Relief Program on Students’ Matriculation into High Schools in Rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 16-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:43:y:2017:i:c:p:16-28
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2016.12.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043951X16301651
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.chieco.2016.12.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:bla:perwir:v:9:y:2008:i:3:p:5-27 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Heckman, James J. & Yi, Junjian, 2012. "Human Capital, Economic Growth, and Inequality in China," IZA Discussion Papers 6550, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Prashant Loyalka & Xiaoting Huang & Linxiu Zhang & Jianguo Wei & Hongmei Yi & Yingquan Song & Yaojiang Shi & James Chu, 2016. "The Impact of Vocational Schooling on Human Capital Development in Developing Countries: Evidence from China," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 30(1), pages 143-170.
    4. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The skill content of recent technological change: an empirical exploration," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Nov.
    5. Xinxin Chen & Yaojiang Shi & Di Mo & James Chu & Prashant Loyalka & Scott Rozelle, 2013. "Impact of a Senior High School Tuition Relief Program on Poor Junior High School Students in Rural China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 21(3), pages 80-97, May.
    6. Timothy F. Bresnahan & Erik Brynjolfsson & Lorin M. Hitt, 2002. "Information Technology, Workplace Organization, and the Demand for Skilled Labor: Firm-Level Evidence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(1), pages 339-376.
    7. David Newhouse & Daniel Suryadarma, 2011. "The Value of Vocational Education: High School Type and Labor Market Outcomes in Indonesia," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 25(2), pages 296-322, May.
    8. Juan Yang & Terry Sicular & Desheng Lai, 2013. "Credit The Changing Determinants of High School Attainment in Rural China," University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP) Working Papers 20131, University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP).
    9. Fang Chang & Wenbin Min & Yaojiang Shi & Kaleigh Kenny & Prashant Loyalka, 2016. "Educational Expectations and Dropout Behavior among Junior High Students in Rural China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 24(3), pages 67-85, May.
    10. Li, Hongbin & Liu, Pak Wai & Zhang, Junsen, 2012. "Estimating returns to education using twins in urban China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 494-504.
    11. Bresnahan, Timothy F, 1999. "Computerisation and Wage Dispersion: An Analytical Reinterpretation," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 109(456), pages 390-415, June.
    12. Eric A. Hanushek, 2008. "Incentives for Efficiency and Equity in the School System," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 9(s1), pages 5-27, May.
    13. Linxiu Zhang & Hongmei Yi & Renfu Luo & Changfang Liu & Scott Rozelle, 2013. "The human capital roots of the middle income trap: the case of China," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 44(s1), pages 151-162, November.
    14. Yi, Hongmei & Song, Yingquan & Liu, Chengfang & Huang, Xiaoting & Zhang, Linxiu & Bai, Yunli & Ren, Baoping & Shi, Yaojiang & Loyalka, Prashant & Chu, James & Rozelle, Scott, 2015. "Giving kids a head start: The impact and mechanisms of early commitment of financial aid on poor students in rural China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-15.
    15. Joshua Angrist & Victor Lavy, 2009. "The Effects of High Stakes High School Achievement Awards: Evidence from a Randomized Trial," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1384-1414, September.
    16. Stanislav Kolenikov & Gustavo Angeles, 2009. "Socioeconomic Status Measurement With Discrete Proxy Variables: Is Principal Component Analysis A Reliable Answer?," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 55(1), pages 128-165, March.
    17. Lincove, Jane Arnold, 2012. "The influence of price on school enrollment under Uganda's policy of free primary education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 799-811.
    18. David H. Autor & Lawrence F. Katz & Alan B. Krueger, 1998. "Computing Inequality: Have Computers Changed the Labor Market?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 113(4), pages 1169-1213.
    19. Loyalka, Prashant & Liu, Chengfang & Song, Yingquan & Yi, Hongmei & Huang, Xiaoting & Wei, Jianguo & Zhang, Linxiu & Shi, Yaojiang & Chu, James & Rozelle, Scott, 2013. "Can information and counseling help students from poor rural areas go to high school? Evidence from China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 1012-1025.
    20. Liu, Chengfang & Zhang, Linxiu & Luo, Renfu & Wang, Xiaobing & Rozelle, Scott & Sharbono, Brian & Adams, Jennifer & Shi, Yaojiang & Yue, Ai & Li, Hongbin & Glauben, Thomas, 2011. "Early commitment on financial aid and college decision making of poor students: Evidence from a randomized evaluation in rural China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 627-640, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yi, Hongmei & Song, Yingquan & Liu, Chengfang & Huang, Xiaoting & Zhang, Linxiu & Bai, Yunli & Ren, Baoping & Shi, Yaojiang & Loyalka, Prashant & Chu, James & Rozelle, Scott, 2015. "Giving kids a head start: The impact and mechanisms of early commitment of financial aid on poor students in rural China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-15.
    2. He, Xinyue & Wang, Huan & Chang, Fang & Dill, Sarah-Eve & Liu, Han & Tang, Bin & Shi, Yaojiang, 2021. "IQ, grit, and academic achievement: Evidence from rural China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    3. Lei Wang & Mengjie Li & Cody Abbey & Scott Rozelle, 2018. "Human Capital and the Middle Income Trap: How Many of China's Youth are Going to High School?," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 56(2), pages 82-103, June.
    4. Wang, Huan & Yang, Chu & He, Fei & Shi, Yaojiang & Qu, Qinghe & Rozelle, Scott & Chu, James, 2015. "Mental health and dropout behavior: A cross-sectional study of junior high students in northwest rural China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 1-12.
    5. Guirong Li & Jiajia Xu & Liying Li & Zhaolei Shi & Hongmei Yi & James Chu & Elena Kardanova & Yanyan Li & Prashant Loyalka & Scott Rozelle, 2020. "The Impacts of Highly Resourced Vocational Schools on Student Outcomes in China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 28(6), pages 125-150, November.
    6. Dupuy, Arnaud & Marey, Philip S., 2008. "Shifts and twists in the relative productivity of skilled labor," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 718-735, June.
    7. David J. Deming, 2017. "The Growing Importance of Social Skills in the Labor Market," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 132(4), pages 1593-1640.
    8. Borghans, Lex & Weel, Bas ter, 2001. "What happens when agent T gets a computer?," Research Memorandum 017, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    9. Cindy Zoghi & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, 2007. "Which workers gain upon adopting a computer?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 40(2), pages 423-444, May.
    10. Cindy Zoghi & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, 2007. "Which workers gain upon adopting a computer?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(2), pages 423-444, May.
    11. Borghans, Lex & Weel, Bas ter, 2001. "What happens when agent T gets a computer?," Research Memorandum 017, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    12. Borghans, Lex & ter Weel, Bas, 2007. "The diffusion of computers and the distribution of wages," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 715-748, April.
    13. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The Skill Content of Recent Technological Change: An Empirical Exploration," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(4), pages 1279-1333.
    14. Daron Acemoglu, 2002. "Technical Change, Inequality, and the Labor Market," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(1), pages 7-72, March.
    15. Philip Marey & Arnaud Dupuy, 2004. "Shifts and Twists in the Relative Productivity of Skilled Labor: Reconciling Accelerated SBTC with the Productivity Slowdown," Econometric Society 2004 North American Summer Meetings 118, Econometric Society.
    16. Hilal Atasoy & Rajiv D. Banker & Paul A. Pavlou, 2021. "Information Technology Skills and Labor Market Outcomes for Workers," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(2), pages 437-461, June.
    17. Acemoglu, Daron & Autor, David, 2011. "Skills, Tasks and Technologies: Implications for Employment and Earnings," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 12, pages 1043-1171, Elsevier.
    18. Ariell Reshef, 2013. "Is Technological Change Biased Towards the Unskilled in Services? An Empirical Investigation," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 16(2), pages 312-331, April.
    19. Fonseca, Tiago & Lima, Francisco & Pereira, Sonia C., 2018. "Understanding productivity dynamics: A task taxonomy approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 289-304.
    20. José Miguel Benavente & David Bravo & Rodrigo Montero, 2011. "Wages And Workplace Computer Use In Chile," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 49(4), pages 382-403, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:43:y:2017:i:c:p:16-28. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/chieco .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.