Authors
Samuel Kamin, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut
ORCID 0009-0001-6049-3420
Abstract
Many states and districts in the United States use school report cards to share accountability data in which K–12 schools are rated on a variety of metrics, including test scores, which create a categorical grade or rating. These report cards are shared with the public as a mechanism of school accountability and in the process of school choice. This paper explores the causal impact of a school report card used by the New York City Department of Education which was not attached to specific rewards and/or sanctions. I use a regression discontinuity approach to analyze the impact of receiving a lower rating. I find that just receiving a low rating leads to an increase in Math score growth in comparison to similar schools just beyond the cut point, although no such effect is found in English score growth. I also explore implications in the context of school/district policy and leadership.
Keywords: School accountability, testing, regression discontinuity, bounded rationality
