Abstract
By evaluating the Academic Acceleration Program (AAP), this paper examines whether switching the default of advanced coursework enrollment encourages high school students to take dual credit courses. I estimate the impact of qualifying for AAP using a regression discontinuity design to evaluate subsequent education outcomes. I find that students just qualifying for AAP increase their likelihood of taking a relevant dual credit course by 8 percentage points, with stronger results for boys. However, qualification for AAP does not significantly alter education outcomes. As policymakers continue these programs, it’s important to understand whether simply expanding access is sufficient in improving outcomes.
Brianna Felegi
Assistant Professor of Economics
My name is Brianna Felegi and I am an Assistant Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech. I completed my Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Notre Dame in May 2023. My primary field is Applied Microeconomics with an emphasis on the Economics of Education and Labor Economics. My current research agenda focuses on evaluating policies intended to increase access to schooling, but I also have work examining how labor market shocks impact the adoption of immigration policy.