Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
The Impact of Welfare Reform on Academic Outcomes: Does Parental Work Boost Grades? Institute for Policy Research Working Paper. |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Pareja, Amber Stitziel, Lewis, Dan A., Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL. Inst. for Policy Research. |
| Availability: |
Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, 2040 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-4100. Tel: 847-491-3395; Fax: 847-491-9916; e-mail: ipr@northwestern.edu; Web site: http://www.northwestern.edu/IPR. |
| Peer Reviewed: |
N |
| Page Count: |
26 |
| Publication Date: |
2002 |
| Document Type: |
Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: |
Academic Achievement, Achievement Gains, Child Welfare, Economic Factors, Elementary Secondary Education, Employed Parents, Employment Patterns, Family Life, Parent Child Relationship, Parent Education, Welfare Recipients, Welfare Reform |
| Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: |
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families |
| Abstract: |
The 1996 welfare reform act forced many poor parents into the labor market, with little understanding of how the parents' workforce participation would affect family life in general and their children in particular. In this paper, researchers examine the relationship between parental workforce participation, welfare receipt, and children's academic outcomes for a random sample of welfare mothers and their children. The findings show that children whose parents transitioned from not working in Wave 1 to working in Wave 2 were significantly more likely to be achieving academically--receiving As and Bs--at Wave 2. Parental employment at Wave 2 was not found to be a positive factor in all cases, however. Researchers found that children whose parents were employed in both waves were significantly less likely to receive As and Bs at Wave 2 than were children whose parents transitioned from not working to working. Researchers also found that receiving welfare during Wave 2 had a positive relationship with receiving As and Bs at Wave 2, which suggests that welfare payments may be a protective factor for families. The researchers argue that parental employment may be beneficial for children's academic achievement, particularly if families are able to continue receiving welfare benefits. (Contains 23 references.) (SM) |
| Entry Date: |
2004 |
| Accession Number: |
ED478283 |
| Database: |
ERIC |
