The effect of boarding on students’ noncognitive skills: evidence from rural education in Northwest China

BACKGROUND: A significant proliferation of boarding schools and boarding students has been observed in rural areas of China due to the challenges associated with "school consolidation" policies and parental migration from rural to urban areas for employment purposes. Hence, boarding has emerged as a prominent characteristic within the present-day rural student community. However, there remains a lack of consensus regarding the impact of boarding on noncognitive development among rural students. This study investigates the impact of boarding on students' noncognitive development using a two-period panel dataset collected during the research conducted on rural elementary schools in 2019 and 2020. METHODS: Using a two-period panel dataset comprising 10,923 students from 195 rural elementary schools in 21 counties, we employ both the propensity score matching method and instrumental variable approach to establish a causal relationship between boarding arrangements and students' noncognitive development. RESULTS: This study finds that boarding has detrimental effects on students' noncognitive skills, negatively impacting certain aspects such as openness and grit, and affinity for schools. The study also reveals that the impact of boarding varies across different student subgroups, with girls, younger students, those from affluent families, and students with more educated mothers benefiting more from the boarding experience. The study also examines pathways through which boarding influences students' noncognitive development. CONCLUSIONS: This paper proposes the following policy recommendations: (1) At the familial level, parents should allocate additional time and effort towards nurturing their children's emotional well-being and academic performance. (2) Schools ought to incorporate curriculum training programs aimed at enhancing students' noncognitive skills, including self-care, resilience, and interpersonal abilities. (3) The government should ensure the cultivation of students' non-cognitive skills by implementing policies, allocating funds, as well as promoting and raising awareness about the significance of these skills.