Researchers often identify degree effects by including degree attainment (D) and years of schooling (S) in a wage model, yet the source of independent variation in these measures is not well understood. We argue that S is negatively correlated with ability among degree-holders because the most...

Most of the literature on the evaluation of training programs focuses on the effect of participation on a particular outcome (e.g. earnings). The treatment is generally represented by a binary variable equal to one if participation in the program occurs, and equal to zero if no participation...

We investigate whether a causal interpretation of the robust association between cognitive skills and economic growth is appropriate and whether cross-country evidence supports a case for the economic benefits of effective school policy. We develop a new common metric that allows tracking...