Cecilia Rouse, "Do Accountability and Voucher Threats Improve Low-Performing Schools?" (with David Figlio), Journal of Public Economics, 90, 2006, 239-255.

This paper considers the effects of the threat of vouchers and stigma in Florida on the performance of “low-performing” schools. Estimates of the change in raw test scores from the first year of the reform are consistent with the early results which claimed large improvements associated with the threat of vouchers. They report that many of the estimated effects may be due to other factors. Relative gains in reading are largely explained by changing student characteristics and the gains in math—though larger—appear limited to the high-stakes grade. The authors find some evidence that these improvements were due more to the stigma of receiving the low grade rather than the threat of vouchers.

"Using Market Valuation to Assess Public School Spending" (by Cecilia Rouse with Lisa Barrow), Journal of Public Economics, 88, no. 9-10 (August 2004): 1747-1769.

We examine whether school expenditures are valued by potential residents and whether the current level of public school provision is inefficient by estimating the effect of state education aid on residential property values. Overall, state aid is valued by potential residents and that school districts do not overspend on education. However, districts may overspend in areas where residents have fewer schooling options but find no difference in efficiency by the degree of district unionization. One interpretation of these results is that increased competition may reduce overspending on public schools in some areas.