Shifting the bell curve: the benefits and costs of raising student achievement

Eval Program Plann. 2009 Feb;32(1):74-82. doi: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2008.08.006. Epub 2008 Sep 24.

Abstract

Benefit-cost analysis was conducted to estimate the increase in earnings, increased tax revenues, value of less crime, and reductions in welfare costs attributable to nationwide implementation of rapid assessment, a promising intervention for raising student achievement in math and reading. Results suggest that social benefits would exceed total social costs by a ratio of 28. Fiscal benefits to the federal government would exceed costs to the federal treasury by a ratio of 93. Social benefits would exceed costs to each state treasury by a ratio no lower than 286, and fiscal benefits would exceed costs to each state treasury by a ratio no lower than 5, for all but two state treasuries. Sensitivity analyses suggest that the findings are robust to a 5-fold change in the underlying parameters.

MeSH terms

  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Education / economics*
  • Education / methods
  • Financing, Government
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Mathematics
  • Reading
  • Social Change
  • Social Welfare
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • United States