Working Paper: NBER ID: w24450
Authors: christopher j doss; erin m fahle; susanna loeb; benjamin n york
Abstract: Recent studies show that texting-based interventions can produce educational benefits in children across a range of ages. We study effects of a text-based program for parents of kindergarten children, distinguishing a general program from one adding differentiation and personalization based on each child’s developmental level. Children in the differentiated and personalized program were 63 percent more likely to read at a higher level (p<0.001) compared to the general group; and their parents reported engaging more in literacy activities. Effects were driven by children further from average levels of baseline development indicating that the effects likely stemmed from text content.
Keywords: text messaging; kindergarten; personalization; differentiation; educational outcomes
JEL Codes: C93; D91; I21
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| differentiated and personalized text messaging program (L96) | higher reading levels (Y50) |
| differentiated and personalized text messaging program (L96) | parental engagement in literacy activities (J22) |
| differentiated and personalized text messaging program (L96) | parents' perceptions of ability to build reading skills (G53) |
| differentiated and personalized text messaging program (L96) | less frequent school visits by parents (I24) |
| differentiated and personalized text messaging program (L96) | increase in reading level (Y50) |