Encouraging Education in an Urban School District: Evidence from the Philadelphia Educational Longitudinal Study

We study a set of programs implemented in Philadelphia high schools that focus on boosting high school graduation, and especially college attendance, using data from the Philadelphia Educational Longitudinal Study (PELS). We examine the effects of these programs on a set of schooling-related outcomes during and after high school. The PELS data-set contains an unusually large amount of information on individuals prior to program placement. We use this information, in the context of both linear models and propensity score-matching estimators, to attempt to correct for selective participation in these programs. We find evidence of positive effects of these programs on high school graduation and on both academic and non-academic awards in high school, and similar negative effects on dropping out of high school. The results also suggest positive effects on attitudes and expectations about college attendance, and on college attendance.