The distributional effects of the multi-track year-round calendar: a quantile regression approach
Abstract
Year-round school (YRS) calendars that redistribute the 180 school days more evenly across the calendar year are growing in popularity. Learning loss theory predicts student response to year-round calendars could vary substantially across achievement levels. Existing research on the heterogeneous effects of YRS focuses on estimating mean treatment effects by subgroup. We instead use a quantile regression approach with school and grade-by-year fixed effects to estimate the distributional impact of year-round calendars using a natural experiment setting in Wake County, NC. Contrary to the prior literature, we find evidence of a positive impact of year-round calendars for the lowest-performing students. However, even for these students, the estimated academic impact is small.
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Graves reported main effects that were negative and statistically significantly negative for years 2 and 3 after changing to a multi-track calendar.
“Graves15 reported main effects that were negative and statistically significantly negative for years 2 and 3 after changing to a multi-track calendar.”
McMullen and Rouse found a small, positive, and statistically significant effect on achievement for lowest-performing students in year-round schools compared with non-year-round schools.
“Analysis of change in student achievement in YRSs compared with non-YRSs found small, positive, and statistically significant effect for lowest-performing students”
Three studies comparing academic achievement in multi-track year-round schools to traditional schools reported mostly negative findings.
“Three studies, in five articles15,17,19–21 compared academic achievement in multi-track YRSs to traditional schools and reported mostly negative findings.”
Three studies comparing academic achievement in multi-track year-round schools to traditional schools reported mostly negative findings.
“Three studies, in five articles15,17,19–21 compared academic achievement in multi-track YRSs to traditional schools and reported mostly negative findings.”
A panel study of elementary and middle schools in California reported no change in achievement for single-track year-round school calendars; most scores for mathematics, English, and reading remained negative but not statistically significant.
“A panel study15 of elementary and middle schools in California reported no change; most scores for mathematics, English, and reading remained negative but not statistically significant.”
Multi-track year-round school calendar programs are often implemented in overcrowded school districts to delay construction of new school buildings by using available facilities year-round.
“whereas multi-track programs are often implemented in overcrowded school districts to delay the construction of new school buildings by using available facilities year-round.14,15”
McMullen and Rouse found smaller changes in scores for higher-achieving students.
“but smaller changes in scores for higher-achieving students.20”
Three studies comparing single-track year-round school calendars with traditional schools reported mixed findings.
“Three studies, in four articles,15–18 compared single-track YRSCs with traditional schools and reported mixed findings.”
Cites
Are Schools the Great Equalizer? Cognitive Inequality during the Summer Months and the School Year
Downey, D. B., von Hippel, P. T., & Broh, B. A. (2004) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.1177/000312240406900501 · Cited by 853 · see citing works
Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap
Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., & Olson, L. S. (2007) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.1177/000312240707200202 · Cited by 763 · see citing works
McMullen, S. C., & Rouse, K. E. (2012) · American Economic Journal: Economic Policy · doi:10.1257/pol.4.4.230 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Self-citationGraves, J. (2011) · Economics of Education Review · doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2011.04.003 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
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Finnie, R. K. C., Peng, Y., Hahn, R. A., Johnson, R. L., Fielding, J. E., Truman, B. I., Muntaner, C., Fullilove, M. T., & Zhang, X. (2019) · Journal of Public Health Management and Practice · doi:10.1097/phh.0000000000000860 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- McMullen, S. C., Rouse, K. E., & Haan, J.
- Affiliations
- Hope College (US)
- Elon University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rouse, Kathryn E.
- Venue
- Applied Economics Letters
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2015-02-25
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 15
- Pages
- 1188-1192
- ISSN
- 1350-4851 (ISSN-L)
- 1466-4291
- OpenAlex
- W2008424692
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 6.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Applied Economics Letters (publishedVersion)
- Hope College Digital Commons (Hope College) (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
- Social Sciences › Education › Early Childhood Education and Development
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Educational Assessment and Improvement
- Keywords
- learning loss, distributional effects, underachieving students, academic performance, school calendar reform, Wake County, North Carolina
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