Developing behavioral skills in children: long term effects

This study exploits a randomized trial of two light-touch elementary school interventions to estimate long-run impacts on postsecondary attendance and attainment. The first is a classroom management technique for developing behavioral skills in children.

Assignment to the behavioral intervention increases the likelihood of college attendance for females, especially at 2-year institutions, but has little impact on males. There is
evidence that exposure to the behavioral intervention benefits low-performing students more than high-performers.

The second is a curricular intervention aimed at improving students’ core reading skills. Exposure to the curricular intervention influences college outcomes more for middle- to high-performing students.