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The impact of a senior high school tuition relief program on poor junior high school students in rural China

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  • Chen, Xinxin
  • Shi, Yaojiang
  • Yi, Hongmei
  • Zhang, Linxiu
  • Mo, Di
  • Chu, James
  • Loyalka, Prashant
  • Rozelle, Scott

Abstract

A significant gap remains between rural and urban students in the rate of admission to senior high school. One reason for this gap may be high tuition and other school fees at the senior high school level. By reducing student expectations of attending high school, high tuition and school fees can reduce student academic performance in junior high school. In this paper we evaluate the impact of a senior high tuition relief program on the test scores of poor, rural seventh grade students in China. We surveyed three counties in Shaanxi Province and exploit the fact that, while the counties are adjacent to one another and share similar characteristics, only one of the three implemented a tuition relief program. Using several alternative estimation strategies, including difference-in-differences (DD), difference-indifference- in-differences (DDD), propensity score matching (PSM) and difference-indifferences matching (DDM), we find that the tuition program has a statistically significant and positive impact on the math scores of seventh grade students. More importantly, this program is shown to have the largest (and only significant) impact on the poorest students.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Xinxin & Shi, Yaojiang & Yi, Hongmei & Zhang, Linxiu & Mo, Di & Chu, James & Loyalka, Prashant & Rozelle, Scott, 2013. "The impact of a senior high school tuition relief program on poor junior high school students in rural China," PEP Working Papers 164420, Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:peppwp:164420
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.164420
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Chang, Fang & Jiang, Yuxi & Loyalka, Prashant & Chu, James & Shi, Yaojiang & Osborn, Annie & Rozelle, Scott, 2019. "Parental migration, educational achievement, and mental health of junior high school students in rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 337-349.
    3. Stenzel, Alicia G. & Osei Kwadwo, Victor & Vincent, Rose C., 2024. "Free secondary education policy and education attainment," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    4. 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.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public Economics;

    JEL classification:

    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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