Abstract This paper considers the effect of textbook funding on school-level test performance by using a quasi-experimental setting in the United States. I consider a lawsuit in California that provided a one-time payment of $96.90 per student for textbooks if schools fell below a threshold of academic performance. Exploiting this variation with a regression discontinuity (RD) design, I find that textbook funding has significant positive effects on school-level achievement in elementary schools and has a high benefit-per-dollar. In contrast to elementary schools, I find no effect in middle and high schools though these estimates are very imprecise.

Citation Holden, Kristian L. 2016. "Buy the Book? Evidence on the Effect of Textbook Funding on School-Level Achievement." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics , 8 (4): 100-127 . DOI: 10.1257/app.20150112 Choose Format: BibTeX EndNote Refer/BibIX RIS Tab-Delimited