Effect of natural resource extraction on school performance: Evidence from Texas
研究了德克萨斯州油气开采活动对高中生学业成绩的影响，发现整体影响不显著，但在油气收入高的学区，经济困难学生比例增加与ACT分数大幅下降相关。
This study examines the effects of oil and gas extraction activities on the educational outcomes of high school students in Texas, focusing on potential variations in these impacts among different demographic groups. We use school-level data from the Texas Academic Performance Reports between 2012–2020, with school performance measured by average scores on the American College Test (ACT). The primary variable of interest is the exposure to oil and gas activities, measured by changes in oil and gas revenues within each school district. The empirical approach controls for school characteristics, and student demographics. To address endogeneity concerns, we adopt an instrumental variable approach. Although the overall impact of oil and gas operations on average school ACT scores is not statistically significant, these activities do influence the relationship between student socioeconomic status and academic achievement. Specifically, for schools situated within districts that receive substantial oil and gas revenues, a small increase in the proportion of economically disadvantaged students is associated with a substantial decline in ACT scores. • We use data from Texas to study oil/gas extraction’s impact on high school students. • Overall, oil/gas extraction’s impact on ACT scores is negligible. • Oil/gas activities affect how school demographics relates to student achievement. • In energy-rich districts, schools with more poor students have lower ACT scores. • In those districts, poor students are also less likely to sit college entrance exams.