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Leveraging Parents through Low-Cost Technology: The Impact of High-Frequency Information on Student Achievement

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  • Peter Bergman
  • Eric W. Chan

Abstract

We partnered a low-cost communication technology with school information systems to automate the gathering and provision of information on students’ academic progress to parents of middle and high school students. We sent weekly automated alerts to parents about their child’s missed assignments, grades, and class absences. The alerts reduced course failures by 27 percent, increased class attendance by 12 percent, and increased student retention, though there was no impact on state test scores. There were larger effects for below-median GPA students and high school students. More than 32,000 text messages were sent at a variable cost of $63.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Bergman & Eric W. Chan, 2021. "Leveraging Parents through Low-Cost Technology: The Impact of High-Frequency Information on Student Achievement," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 56(1), pages 125-158.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:56:y:2021:i:1:p:125-158
    Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.56.1.1118-9837R1
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Yefeng & Yang, Wenyuan & Luo, Gansong & Luo, Jun, 2024. "Choosing tournament for children: Parenting style and information intervention," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    2. Ajzenman, Nicolas & Luna, Laura Becerra & Hernández-Agramonte, Juan Manuel & Lopez Boo, Florencia & Perez Alfaro, Marcelo & Vásquez-Echeverría, Alejandro & Mateo Diaz, Mercedes, 2022. "A behavioral intervention to increase preschool attendance in Uruguay," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    3. Amaral, Sofia & Dinarte-Diaz, Lelys & Dominguez, Patricio & Perez-Vincent, Santiago M., 2024. "Helping families help themselves: The (Un)intended impacts of a digital parenting program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    4. Hermes, Henning & Lergetporer, Philipp & Peter, Frauke & Wiederhold, Simon, 2021. "Behavioral Barriers and the Socioeconomic Gap in Child Care Enrollment," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 16/2021, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics.
    5. Cheti Nicoletti & Almudena Sevilla & Valentina Tonei, 2022. "Gender stereotypes in the family," CEP Discussion Papers dp1891, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    6. Henning Hermes & Philipp Lergetporer & Frauke Peter & Simon Wiederhold, 2021. "Application Barriers and the Socioeconomic Gap in Child Care Enrollment," CESifo Working Paper Series 9282, CESifo.
    7. Noam Angrist & Peter Bergman & Moitshepi Matsheng, 2022. "Experimental evidence on learning using low-tech when school is out," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(7), pages 941-950, July.
    8. Maldonado, Joana Elisa & De Witte, Kristof, 2021. "The impact of information provision to parents: Experimental evidence on student outcomes," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    9. Cai, Xiqian & Fan, Qingliang & Yuan, Congying, 2022. "The impact of only child peers on students’ cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    10. Mateo-Berganza Díaz, María Mercedes & Becerra, Laura & Hernández Agramonte, Juan Manuel & Lopez Boo, Florencia & Pérez Alfaro, Marcelo & Vasquez Echeverria, Alejandro, 2020. "Nudging Parents to Increase Preschool Attendance in Uruguay," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 10893, Inter-American Development Bank.
    11. Liu, Jing & Lee, Monica & Gershenson, Seth, 2021. "The short- and long-run impacts of secondary school absences," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    12. Liu, Jing & Lee, Monica, 2022. "Beyond Chronic Absenteeism: The Dynamics and Disparities of Class Absences in Secondary School," IZA Discussion Papers 15664, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Hernández-Agramonte, Juan Manuel & Namen, Olga & Näslund-Hadley, Emma & Biehl, Maria Loreto, 2024. "Supporting early childhood development remotely: Experimental evidence from SMS messages," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    14. Esposito Acosta,Bruno Nicola & Sautmann,Anja, 2022. "Adaptive Experiments for Policy Choice : Phone Calls for Home Reading in Kenya," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10098, The World Bank.

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