The central research question is the extent to which gifted programming effects student academic outcomes of gifted as compared to not-gifted students and how this differs by race/ethnicity and/or poverty status. Since the identification of elementary school students as gifted is not random, propensity score matching is used to remove this bias in the estimates of the effects. A matched sample of North Carolina middle school students based on individual level data of both gifted and not-gifted students of varied racial/ethnic groups and income levels is used for this analysis. This enables a comparison of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade student achievement to determine the extent to which participating in gifted programming differentiates effects by race/ethnicity and poverty status. I show the additional test score gain, if any, from being in gifted programming compared to students not participating in gifted programs. Variations in gifted program effects across race/ethnicity and income are assessed. This research adds empirical evidence to the more qualitatively focused gifted debate by analyzing differences in student outcomes between gifted and not-gifted students in North Carolina. Since black and lower income students are less likely to participate in gifted programs, they disproportionately encounter less experienced teachers, lower expectations, and fewer resources. The extent to which these additional learning supports translate to differences in student outcomes are analyzed.

This thesis consists of an introductory part and four papers. Paper [I] estimates jointly the choice of whether to enroll in education and the choice of location among young people. Being a particularly mobile group, the location choices of young individuals shape much of the regional distribution of human capital, growth, and local public sector budgets. Applying Swedish register data on nest leavers, we seek to determine factors deciding the education and location choice of young people. The results indicate a systematic selection higher education based on school grades and preferences for locations with higher per capita tax bases and with lower shares of elderly people. The importance of family networks for the choice of location is confirmed.              Paper [II] examines how individual ability, reflected by the grade point average (GPA) from comprehensive school affects the probability of migration among university graduates. The econometric analysis applies detailed micro-data of two entire cohorts of young individuals retrieved from the Swedish population registers. The results indicate that individual abilities are strongly influential both concerning completion of a university degree and for the migration decision. In addition, we find a positive relationship between the GPA and migrating from regions with lower per capita tax bases and/or a relatively small share of highly educated individuals. Analogously, individuals with a high GPA tend to stay in more densely populated regions, suggesting a clustering of human capital vis-à-vis school grades.  Paper [III] estimates the relationship between migration across labour market regions and the subsequent changes in earnings by using the GPA from the final year of comprehensive school as a proxy for ability. This measure aims to capture heterogeneity in the returns to migration for individuals conditional on education attainment. Using Swedish register data on young adults, a difference-in-difference propensity score matching estimator is applied to estimate income differences measured up to seven years after migration. The results show variation between different ability groups regarding the returns to regional migration. There are indications of larger gains for individuals holding top grades, while the bottom half seems to benefit less, or face slightly negative effects. Paper [IV] examines whether power couple formation and the location choice of such couples are driven by factors already inherent in young people during their formative school years. The paper also extends the analysis by modeling location choice among different sizes of labor market areas, given different power statuses of the couples. Based on analysis of Swedish register data, we produce evidence that power spouses evolve from the population of high achieving school age individuals; the latter is identified by high academic performance during their years of compulsory school. Regarding location choice, the results indicate that power couples display a relatively high tendency to migrate from their regions of origin to large cities.

This paper analyzes how remittance receipts affect labor force participation and daily time allocation of individuals residing in remittance-receiving households of rural Pakistan. In particular, I use the first Time-Use Survey of Pakistan (2007) to assess how members of remittance-receiving households distribute time over market production and its complements, namely, home production, leisure consumption and educational investment. I employ the statistical technique of propensity score matching to find a comparison group for individuals residing in remittance-receiving households. My results indicate that impact of remittances on daily activity sets cannot be analogously identified across genders. Men residing in remittance-receiving households devote less time to market production and consume more leisure. Women, on the other hand, invest more time in home production while maintaining the same level of market production.

On December 26th, 2004, 280,000 people lost their lives. A massive earthquake struck Indonesia, triggering a tsunami that affected several countries, including Thailand. The disaster had important implications for health status of Thai citizens, as well as health system planning, and thus underscores the need to study its long-term effect. This dissertation examined the patterns, determinants, and spatial analysis of health service utilization following the tsunami in Thailand. The primary aim was to determine whether tsunami-affected status (personal injury or property loss) and distance to a health facility (public health center or hospital) influenced health service utilization. The study population included Thai citizens (aged 14+), living in the tsunami-affected Thai provinces: Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, and Ranong. Study participants were randomly selected from the ‘affected’ and ‘unaffected’ populations. One and two years after the tsunami, participants were interviewed in-person on demographic and socio-economic factors, disaster impact, health status, and health service utilization. Five types of health services were examined: outpatient services, inpatient services, home visits, medications, and informal (unpaid) care. Distance to a health facility was calculated using Geographic Information System’s Network Analyst. The Grossman model of the demand for health care and a distance decay concept provided the foundation for this study. A propensity score method and a two-part model were used to examine the study objectives. There were 1,889 participants. One year after the tsunami, individuals affected by property loss were more likely to use medications than unaffected participants. Two years after the tsunami, individuals with personal injury were more likely to use outpatient services, medications, and informal care than unaffected participants. Distance to a health facility was associated with the use of medications and informal care. The results confirmed the long-term effect of a tsunami. This dissertation may assist the decision- and policy-makers in the identification of those most likely to use health services and in the request of health resources to the affected areas. The patterns, determinants, and spatial analysis of health service utilization found in this study may not be specific to a tsunami and may provide insights on post-disaster contexts of other natural disasters.

On December 26th, 2004, 280,000 people lost their lives. A massive earthquake struck Indonesia, triggering a tsunami that affected several countries, including Thailand. The disaster had important implications for health status of Thai citizens, as well as health system planning, and thus underscores the need to study its long-term effect. This dissertation examined the patterns, determinants, and spatial analysis of health service utilization following the tsunami in Thailand. The primary aim was to determine whether tsunami-affected status (personal injury or property loss) and distance to a health facility (public health center or hospital) influenced health service utilization. The study population included Thai citizens (aged 14+), living in the tsunami-affected Thai provinces: Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, and Ranong. Study participants were randomly selected from the ‘affected’ and ‘unaffected’ populations. One and two years after the tsunami, participants were interviewed in-person on demographic and socio-economic factors, disaster impact, health status, and health service utilization. Five types of health services were examined: outpatient services, inpatient services, home visits, medications, and informal (unpaid) care. Distance to a health facility was calculated using Geographic Information System’s Network Analyst. The Grossman model of the demand for health care and a distance decay concept provided the foundation for this study. A propensity score method and a two-part model were used to examine the study objectives. There were 1,889 participants. One year after the tsunami, individuals affected by property loss were more likely to use medications than unaffected participants. Two years after the tsunami, individuals with personal injury were more likely to use outpatient services, medications, and informal care than unaffected participants. Distance to a health facility was associated with the use of medications and informal care. The results confirmed the long-term effect of a tsunami. This dissertation may assist the decision- and policy-makers in the identification of those most likely to use health services and in the request of health resources to the affected areas. The patterns, determinants, and spatial analysis of health service utilization found in this study may not be specific to a tsunami and may provide insights on post-disaster contexts of other natural disasters.

Ohio, Ohio State Univ., Diss.--Columbus, 2004. / Kopie, ersch. im Verl. UMI, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Cette thèse de doctorat est consacrée à la modélisation statistique de l'impact des environnements académiques sur les croyances et la réussite des élèves au Chili. Nous contribuons au domaine de l'efficacité éducative avec une discussion statistique et deux études empiriques. La discussion statique questionne la façon de combiner les modèles multiniveaux avec des méthodes pour le biais de sélection et pour les données manquantes. Cette discussion statistique sera utilisée pour prendre des décisions méthodologiques dans les études empiriques. La première étude empirique consiste en une évaluation d'intervention de l'impact des cours de sciences sur les croyances des étudiants. La deuxième étude empirique concerne l'effet des écoles sur les trajectoires des scores de mathématiques et de lecture des élèves. Dans la partie statistique, nous avons décrit et analysé les méthodes d'ajustement linéaire et d'appariement des scores de propension pour modéliser le biais de sélection. En ce qui concerne les problèmes de données manquantes, nous avons analysé la méthode d'imputation multiple. Chacune de ces méthodes est compatible avec les modèles multi-niveaux. En revanche, l'utilisation combinée de ces méthodes pour des données hiérarchiques n'est pas résolu. Nous présentons alors une discussion statistique qui analyse et classe des stratégies pour combiner ces méthodes.La première étude empirique concerne l'influence des disciplines scientifiques qui s'intéressent à des objets vivants et non-vivants sur les croyances épistémiques et le sentiment d'auto-efficacité des étudiants de secondaire. Nous avons comparé, pour ces croyances, les étudiants qui ont suivi des cours de sciences à un groupe contrôle sur deux temps de mesure, à la fin des cours et 4 mois après. Nous avons constaté un effet positif du travail en laboratoire et des disciplines qui s'intéressent à des objets vivants (en contrôlant les variables confondues). Cette étude met en lumière des différences entre les disciplines qui s'intéressent à des objets vivant et des objets non-vivant qui devront être explorées.La deuxième étude empirique concerne l'effet des écoles sur les trajectoires des scores en mathématiques et en lecture des élèves. Le premier objectif est de décrire les caractéristiques des trajectoires et la variance expliquée par les écoles primaires et secondaires. Le deuxième objectif est de mesurer l'effet du type d'école, publique ou voucher (privée avec un financement de l'état), sur les trajectoires. Nous avons utilisé une base de données nationale longitudinale qui comprenait des mesures pour les mêmes élèves en 4ème, 8ème et 10ème années. Des modèles de croissance multiniveaux ont été utilisés pour modéliser les trajectoires. Nos résultats montrent que les écoles secondaires et primaires ont un effet sur les interceptes et les pentes des trajectoires. Par ailleurs, nous avons constaté un effet négatif de l'école publique, qui est devenu non significatif lorsque nous avons contrôlé la composition socio-économique de l'école et ses pratiques de sélection. Ces résultats illustrent la stratification entre le système public et le système voucher ainsi que la nécessité de questionner l'efficacité des écoles pour chaque système. / This PhD thesis is dedicated to the statistical modeling of the impact of academic environments on student’s beliefs and achievement in Chile. We contribute to the field of educational effectiveness with a statistical discussion regarding how to combine multilevel models with methods for selection bias and missing data and two empirical studies. The statistical discussion was used to take methodological decisions in the empirical studies. The first empirical study evaluates the impact of science courses on students’ beliefs. The second empirical study is about school effects on students’ trajectories in mathematics and reading scores. In the statistical part, we analyze linear adjustment and propensity score matching to address selection bias. Regarding the missing data problem, we considered multiple imputation techniques. Each of these methods is compatible with multilevel models. However, the problem of addressing selection bias and missing data simultaneously with hierarchical data is not resolved. We present a statistical discussion that classifies and analyzes strategies to combine the methods. The first empirical study regards the influence of Life and Non-life science courses in secondary students’ epistemic and self-efficacy beliefs related to sciences. We compared students that took summer science courses with a control group in a post and follow-up beliefs questionnaire. We found positive effects of Life courses and courses with laboratory work, controlling for confounding variables. The results show differences between Life and Non-life scientific disciplines that should be explored. The second empirical study concerns school effects on trajectories of Chilean students. It has two aims. The first aim is to describe the characteristics of the trajectories in mathematics and reading scores and the variation explained by primary and secondary schools. The second aim is to measure the effect of public schools in comparison with voucher schools on students’ trajectories in mathematics and reading scores. We used a longitudinal national database which included measures for the same students at 4th, 8th and 10th grade. Multilevel growth models were used to model the trajectories. We found effects of secondary and primary schools on intercepts and slopes. In addition, we found negative effects from public education, which became not significant after controlling for school’ socioeconomic composition and selection practices. The results illustrate the stratification between the public system and voucher system and the need to study inside each system which schools are more efficient.

O sistema educacional do Brasil avançou significativamente nos últimos 15 anos, atingindo a quase universalização do ensino fundamental. Após a expansão do acesso à educação básica no país, um dos maiores desafios é melhorar a qualidade educacional oferecida pelas escolas da rede pública, mantendo os alunos na escola. Os objetivos deste estudo são os de identificar os fatores que determinam a qualidade da educação básica no estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS) e, com auxílio destes dados, analisar o desempenho dos estudantes de uma escola federal, o Colégio de Aplicação (CAp) da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), com relação aos demais alunos da rede pública. Para cumprir os objetivos propostos e explorar o potencial de melhoria do desempenho dos estudantes de 4ª e 8ª série, são utilizados modelos de regressão linear múltipla e de Propensity Score Matching, em exercícios específicos. A base de dados utilizada na pesquisa é a Prova Brasil aplicada em 2007, na disciplina de Matemática, e os respectivos questionários socioeconômicos. Os resultados apresentados mostram que as características de background familiar são fortes e significativas para explicar o desempenho dos estudantes analisados, corroborando os resultados da literatura nacional e internacional, e sugerem uma heterogeneidade na qualidade do ensino oferecido nas três dependências administrativas. Para a análise da escola federal, os resultados apontam um desempenho superior dos alunos do CAp quando comparados a estudantes que possuem as mesmas características de background familiar. / The Brazilian educational system has advanced significantly over the past 15 years reaching almost universal primary education. After expanding access to basic education in the country, one of the major challenges is to improve the quality of education offered by public schools, keeping students in school. The objectives of this study are to identify the factors that determine the quality of basic education in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and, using these data, analyze the performance of a federal school students, the Colégio de Aplicação (CAp) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), in relation to other public school students. To meet the proposed objectives and explore the potential for improving the performance of students in 4th and 8th grade, we used multiple linear regression models and Propensity Score Matching, in specific exercises. The database used in this research is the 2007 Prova Brasil, in Mathematics, and their socioeconomic questionnaires. The results show that the characteristics of family background are strong and significant in explaining the performance of the analyzed students, confirming the results of national and international literature and, suggesting a heterogeneity in the quality of education offered in three administrative regions. For the analysis of the federal school, the results indicate superior performance of students in CAp when compared to students who have the same family background characteristics.

Submitted by VALDEMAR PINHO NETO (valdemar.pinhoneto@gmail.com) on 2014-08-05T18:21:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_final.pdf: 681070 bytes, checksum: d149ffa220f1264ea521e5fe4f494824 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by BRUNA BARROS (bruna.barros@fgv.br) on 2014-08-22T13:17:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_final.pdf: 681070 bytes, checksum: d149ffa220f1264ea521e5fe4f494824 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2014-08-27T17:17:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_final.pdf: 681070 bytes, checksum: d149ffa220f1264ea521e5fe4f494824 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-27T17:25:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_final.pdf: 681070 bytes, checksum: d149ffa220f1264ea521e5fe4f494824 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-05-30 / A pobreza no Brasil é um problema histórico e tem sido alvo de diversas intervenções governamentais, a iniciativa que melhor retrata esse fato é o Programa Bolsa Família-PBF. Este trabalho investiga o efeito desse programa sobre o estado nutricional das crianças e adolescentes beneficiadas. Para tanto, foram utilizados os dados da Pes-quisa de Orçamentos Familiares (2008/2009), conjuntamente com o método Propensity Score Matching-PSM. A caracterização nutricional foi realizada com base em recentes recomendações da Organização Mundial da Saúde-OMS. A amostra estudada inclui crianças e adolescentes menores de 19 anos de idade, permitindo-se efeitos heterogê-neos do programa entre as áreas urbanas e rurais do país. Os resultados indicam que o PBF melhorou os indicadores nutricionais daqueles que pertenciam ao grupo de tra-tamento. Além da transferência de renda, acredita-se que as condicionalidades nas áreas da saúde e educação possam explicar parte desse resultado.

Submitted by Murilo Prearo (mfprearo@gmail.com) on 2016-03-04T15:01:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Projeto de dissertação - FGV V4 - Catalog.pdf: 830552 bytes, checksum: a7320b7870550664a1f0baee55f90cc0 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Renata de Souza Nascimento (renata.souza@fgv.br) on 2016-03-04T15:07:56Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Projeto de dissertação - FGV V4 - Catalog.pdf: 830552 bytes, checksum: a7320b7870550664a1f0baee55f90cc0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-04T15:51:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Projeto de dissertação - FGV V4 - Catalog.pdf: 830552 bytes, checksum: a7320b7870550664a1f0baee55f90cc0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-05 / O presente trabalho avalia o impacto da realização de Educação Infantil tem sobre a habilidade não cognitiva Lócus de controle, uma medida de quão responsável os indivíduos se sentem com os fatos que acontecem em suas vidas. Utilizamos os dados de alunos da cidade de Sertãozinho, em que obtivemos informações de suas habilidades não cognitivas, através do questionário Tel Aviv, bem como suas condições socioeconômicas. A metodologia adotada foi o Propensity Score Matching para estimar tal efeito. Os resultados não mostram evidências de impacto da Educação Infantil sobre Lócus de controle. / This study evaluates the impact of the implementation of early childhood education has on non- cognitive ability Locus of control, a measure of how responsible people feel about the things that happen in their lives. We used data from students in the city of Sertãozinho, where we got information from their noncognitive skills, through the questionnaire Tel Aviv, as well as their socioeconomic conditions . The methodology adopted was the Propensity Score Matching to estimate that effect. Estimates show no impact of early childhood education on Locus of Control.