Essays on the Economics of Education

There are persistent disparities in educational outcomes across racial and socioeconomic groups, even when accounting for differences in academic preparation. The standard economic theory of human capital accumulation suggests that these variations simply reflect the different costs and benefits these groups face and do not on their own justify government intervention. However, a large economic literature emphasizes the role that financial and informational constraints play in an individual's education decisions. As a result, there are many studies that try to examine the effectiveness of policies meant to alleviate these burdens.

Despite the massive amount of work on this topic, policymakers are continually exploring new ways to increase access to education at all levels, and there is still much to learn on whether these policies can close the existing gaps. In this dissertation, I contribute new evidence on the extent to which policies intended to increase access to schooling alter educational outcomes. The first chapter focuses on the impact of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program on the quality of schooling provided. The second chapter examines test-optional policies in higher education. The third chapter examines a policy in Washington State that increases access to dual-credit courses.