Longitudinal Effects of NYC’s Gifted and Talented Program: Evidence From a Staggered Difference-in-Differences Approach

This study estimates the effects of New York City’s (NYC) Gifted and Talented (G&T) program on students’ absenteeism and academic achievement. Leveraging a longitudinal student-level dataset and a staggered difference-in-differences approach, we provide evidence on middle and high school absence and achievement outcomes for students who entered G&T in grades 1 through 3. For students in G&T, we find modest but consistent effects on attendance and academic outcomes (middle school grade-level math and English Language Arts proficiency), with effects accumulating over time and reaching 0.11 to 0.18 standard deviations for students entering in grade 3. The results hold even during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting the program’s resilience in supporting attendance despite external disruptions. Overall, the findings indicate that G&T participation supports long-term improvements in attendance and academic achievement for students who enter in elementary grades.