Understanding spillover of peer parental education: Randomization evidence and mechanisms

Abstract

AbstractThe educational background of peer parents is more than a proxy for peer quality. We utilize random classroom assignments in China middle schools to study the spillover of peer parental education on the student test score. Analyzing the China Education Panel Survey, we find a causal relationship between the average college attainment of classmates' mothers and a student's test score. Besides peer quality and teacher response, we identify the change in the mother's parenting style as a mediating factor. The parental responses (time, money, and parenting style) also differ by family background, leading to heterogeneous spillover on the test score.