Did the "tax revolt" reduce school performance?

David N. Figlio*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

82 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper uses detailed school-level data from 49 states to analyze the effects of tax-revolt era property tax limitations on school services. I find that limitations are associated with larger student-teacher ratios and lower cost-of-living adjusted starting teacher salaries, all else equal. These results are robust to modelling the results as endogenous and using a variety of measures for whether the limitation binds at particular schools. However, I find no such evidence that schools subject to limitations have reduced their administrative costs. Furthermore, I find that limitations are associated with lower student performance on mathematics, science, social studies and reading examinations, all else equal.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)245-269
Number of pages25
JournalJournal of Public Economics
Volume65
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1997

Keywords

  • National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS)
  • Property tax
  • Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Finance
  • Economics and Econometrics

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