Deven CarlsonJoshua M. CowenDavid J. Fleming2016-01-142016-03-302016-01-142016-03-302013-06-01Carlson, D., Cowen, J. M., & Fleming, D. J. (2013). Life After Vouchers: What Happens to Students Who Leave Private Schools for the Traditional Public Sector? Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 35(2), 179-199. doi: 10.3102/0162373712461852http://hdl.handle.net/11244/25567Few school choice evaluations consider students who leave such programs, and fewer still consider the effects of leaving these programs as policy-relevant outcomes. Using a representative sample of students from the citywide voucher program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we analyze more than 1,000 students who leave the program during a 4-year period. We show that low-performing voucher students tend to move from the voucher sector into lower performing and less effective public schools than the typical public school student attends, whereas high-performing students transfer to better public schools. In general, transferring students realize substantial achievement gains after moving to the public sector; these results are robust to multiple analytical approaches. This evidence has important implications for school choice policy and research.en-USschool vouchersstudent achievementprogram evaluationattritionResearch Article10.3102/0162373712461852false