10.17889/E109620
Dahl, Gordon B.
Lochner, Lance
Replication data for: The Impact of Family Income on Child Achievement: Evidence from the Earned Income Tax Credit
ICPSR Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
2012
10.1257/aer.102.5.1927
10.1257/aer.102.5.1927
V0
Using an instrumental variables strategy, we estimate the causal effect of income on children's math and reading achievement. Our identification derives from the large, nonlinear changes in the Earned Income Tax Credit. The largest of these changes increased family income by as much as 20 percent, or approximately $2,100,
between 1993 and 1997. Our baseline estimates imply that a $1,000 increase in income raises combined math and reading test scores by 6 percent of a standard deviation in the short run. Test gains are larger for children from disadvantaged families and robust to a variety of alternative specifications. (JEL H24, H31, I21, I38, J13)