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  3. American Economic Review
  4. June 2004
  5. What's in a Grade? School Report Cards and the Housing Market

What's in a Grade? School Report Cards and the Housing Market

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Abstract

This paper investigates whether the housing market responds to the information incorporated in state-administered school grades. We study whether school grades affect families' residential locations and house prices. Using detailed data on repeated sales of individual residential properties in the state of Florida, we find evidence that there is an independent effect of these grades on house prices and residential location, above and beyond the estimated effects of test scores and the other components of the school grades. Because these grades have a large stochastic component, however, we find that over time the estimated effects of the grades has diminished.

Citation

Figlio, David, N., and Maurice E. Lucas. 2004. "What's in a Grade? School Report Cards and the Housing Market." American Economic Review, 94 (3): 591-604. DOI: 10.1257/0002828041464489

JEL Classification

  • I21 Analysis of Education
  • R31 Housing Supply and Markets