TY  - JOUR
AU  - Figlio,David N.
AU  - Page,Marianne E.
TI  - School Choice and the Distributional Effects of Ability Tracking: Does Separation Increase Equality?
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 8055
PY  - 2000
Y2  - December 2000
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w8055
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w8055.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
David N. Figlio
Institute for Policy Research
Northwestern University
2040 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
Tel: 847-467-1503
Fax: 847-491-9916
E-Mail: figlio@northwestern.edu

Marianne E. Page
Department of Economics
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA  95616-8578
Tel: 530-554-4940
Fax: NA
E-Mail: mepage@ucdavis.edu
AB  - Tracking programs have been criticized on the grounds that they harm disadvantaged children.  The bulk of empirical research supports this view. These studies are conducted by comparing outcomes for across students placed in different tracks. Track placement, however, is likely to be endogenous with respect to outcomes.  We use a new strategy for overcoming the endogeneity of track placement and find no evidence that tracking hurts low-ability children.  We also demonstrate that tracking programs help schools attract more affluent students. Previous studies have been based on the assumption that students' enrollment decisions are unrelated to whether or not the school tracks. When we take school choice into account, we find evidence that low-ability children may be helped by tracking programs.
ER  -