Government Aid Program Research Articles

The German Business Panel: Firm-Level Data for Accounting and Taxation Research

ABSTRACT The German Business Panel (GBP) periodically surveys key decision-makers via a large sample of companies in Germany. The survey questions investigate managers’ accounting and taxation choices as well as the expected and perceived outcomes of those decisions. To obtain causal evidence, the survey supports the use of randomized survey experiments. The evidence from the GBP can meaningfully advance our understanding of issues that require data on internal processes as well as expectations, perceptions, and objectives behind ex-post reported accounting figures. The target population comprises the universe of legal entities included in the official German Statistical Business Register. We show that the dominance of small and medium-sized entities is a feature that Germany shares with many European countries, implying that GBP findings will be reasonably generalizable to European settings. We illustrate the usefulness of GBP data by presenting evidence from the initial waves of the GBP during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show how government aid programs contributed unevenly to the solvency of the most negatively affected companies, and how companies, rather than consumers, benefited from a temporary reduction of VAT rates. The paper also demonstrates how the scientific community can use the GBP data.

Perbandingan Simple Additive Weighting dan Weighted Product Pada Penerimaan Bantuan Raskin

In an effort to reduce the burden on family budgets, the government implemented the Poor Rice Program (Raskin), a social security program for the poor that offers subsidized rice assistance to low-income households. However, in practice, many households are categorized as poor even though they should not be. On the other hand, poor families should be involved, but are not included, and the process is still seen as less focused. Errors in data processing procedures can occur because Raskin recipients are still determined by human data processing. Data processing is time consuming, especially when it comes to ranking and decision making. In this regard, this research explores ways in which Decision Support Systems (DSS) can encourage faster and more precise decision making. Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and Weighted Product (WP) are the two main methods covered. To increase the effectiveness and accuracy of government aid programs in Indonesia, the main objective of this research is to compare the use of SAW and WP techniques in making decisions regarding the receipt of Rice Miskin aid. The findings of this research support each other by referring to local residents with the pseudonyms W3, W12, W9 , W11, and W17 as recipients of rice assistance from regional governments who are inadequate in decision-making authority positions. Keywords: Decision Support System(DSS),Raskin, Simple Additive Weighting, Weighted Product.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Recent years have seen a significant increase in the prominence and attention given to human rights discussions and debates. Moreover, a lot of world leaders continue to yearn for the successful and complete implementation of their vision of a just society. In a variety of settings, a number of academicians, philosophers, and leaders have disputed this idealistic notion of creating a just society. They argue that a number of stratifying factors, such as caste, class, economic status, and family values, have long caused division in our society. With the passage of time, this stratified society changed and started fining the minority that was less fortunate more and more. Similarly, a sizable segment of the populace referred to as the transgender community has been perceived as a disadvantaged facet of society as a result of various forms of social stratification and certain inherent genetic deficiencies. The transgender community has been unable to exercise even the most basic constitutional rights that are granted to every person under the countrys constitution because of ignorance and inferiority complex. Members of the community have also been socially and economically excluded from society and have been unable to access government aid programs due to the gap created by the discrimination inside the community. Furthermore, transgender people are inadvertently reduced to the status of second-class citizens in a society guided by the constitutional ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity because of a number of laws in the Indian context that only define Indian society in terms of male or female. The current study aims to comprehend the causes of the deprivations placed on transgender people in order to implement and formulate welfare measures specifically for the transgender community and enable its members to access constitutional and statutory mechanisms without facing any discrimination. It is imperative that we create practical measures immediately in order to lessen marginalization and make the transgender populations general socioeconomic growth a reality.

Perception on E-Wallet Application among Night Market Consumer in Lembah Klang

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased reliance on online transactions in Malaysia, with E-wallet and Apple Pay being the preferred methods of payment for consumers. These digital payment options offer convenience and eliminate the need to withdraw physical cash. The surge in E-wallet usage is driven by attractive incentives like government aid programs, cash back offers, discounts, and loyalty points. However, despite the introduction of E-wallets in 2017, their adoption remains limited due to a lack of awareness among consumers and businesses. Therefore, this research explores perception on acceptance of E-wallet as payment option among consumers specifically focusing on their impact on consumer behavior at night markets. This quantitative study used multiple regressions on a sample of 393 respondents. The key findings indicate that “Appearance Easy to Use”, “Security Perception”, “Function Perception” and “Attitude” have a significant relationship on the perception of E-wallet application among night market consumer in Lembah Klang. E-wallets have the potential to transform the night market experience by providing convenience and reducing the need for cash withdrawals at ATMs. As Malaysia's population continues to grow, the government's push for mobile payments is expected to drive the widespread adoption of digital transactions in the country.

Analisis Perbandingan Biaya Pembangunan Rumah Layak Huni Dengan Metode Konvensional Dan Ferosemen Di Kota Kupang Nusa Tenggara Timur

In Indonesia, there is still extreme poverty caused by several factors, one of which is low-income among the population. The President of the Republic of Indonesia for the 2019-2024 period, Mr. Joko Widodo, conveyed Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2022, stating that the Ministry of Public Works and Housing needs to support the acceleration of eradicating extreme poverty, one of which is by improving inadequate housing into habitable dwellings. The implementation of this activity refers to Circular Letter No. 3/SE/Dr/2021 on technical instructions for conducting self-help housing stimulus activities (BSPS). BSPS is a government aid program for low-income communities to encourage and enhance self-reliance in improving housing quality through conventional and ferrocement methods. The purpose of this research is to obtain a cost comparison of habitable dwellings using conventional and ferrocement methods for types 27, 36, and 39 houses. Descriptive analysis methods were employed to determine the budget design for habitable dwellings using conventional and ferrocement methods based on unit price work analysis. Data for this research was obtained from the implementation of BSPS in 2022. The results of the cost comparison analysis for habitable dwellings using conventional and ferrocement methods showed that the budget for a conventional type 27 house amounted to Rp. 345,549,510.48, while the ferrocement house required Rp. 242,127,415.19. For a conventional type 36 house, the budget needed was Rp. 390,354,427.82, while the ferrocement house required Rp. 274,401,749.21. Lastly, for a conventional type 39 house, the budget needed was Rp. 455,467,373.11, while the ferrocement house required Rp. 313,893,235.77.

Reassessing Resettlement-Associated Poverty Induced by Water Conservancy Projects in China: Case Study of the “Yangtze to Huai River Inter-Basin” Water Diversion Project

The displacement and resettlement-associated poverty caused by water conservancy projects (WCP) is a worldwide issue. Re-settlers are often impoverished for extended periods due to loss, difficult re-establishment, and insufficient compensation. Addressing poverty has become a worldwide concern, and accurate measurements of poverty remain a fundamental issue. Before 2020, the Chinese government used the absolute income method to measure re-settler poverty. However, this method reflected neither the overall income gap nor potential benefits of social development and poverty alleviation policies. Therefore, we used the relative income and multidimensional methods alongside the absolute income poverty method to measure the poverty in recently resettled households. Based on survey data from over resettled 1000 households we conclude that: (1) The remaining poor measured by the absolute poverty line were mainly caused by serious diseases, disabilities and loss of labor ability, which means they have no ability to be lifted out of poverty except through the bottom line of local governments. As a result, the absolute poverty line loses its distinction to poverty. (2) Rural re-settlers were more resilient to forced majeure because land guarantees employment and food supply, allowing households to avoid secondary livelihood destruction. (3) Income derived measurement of re-settler poverty masks the benefits of poverty alleviation and other socioeconomic aid programs. A few households showed improvements in child school attendance, child mortality, nutrition, cooking fuel, asset ownership, and social insurance following resettlement. (4) To reduce the multidimensional gap, government aid programs should focus on years of schooling (including training), nutrition, household savings, and household labor force rather than simply providing monetary assistance. At the same time, we suggest that the government adopt a variety of compensation methods, such as: sharing the benefits of water conservancy projects, industrial support and improving the bottom line guarantee.

Obtaining green environmental revival through natural resources price variations: Estimations through GARCH technique.

The study aims to determine how price fluctuations in metallic resource supplies impact China's environmental performance. Thisresearch evaluates the impact of the price volatility of nickel, aluminum, gold, and aluminum on environmental performance in China from 2001 to 2019 to provide an answer to this topic. By examining the robustness of outcomes, the conventional DCC-GARCH approach clarifies the study findings and offers wide policy implications for the most recent topicality CS-ARDL. According to the study, the fluctuation in metal prices significantly influences the nation's GDP. The research's findings show that over the sample period, the price volatility of metallic resources was 23%, and this shift implied a 17.24% change in environmental performance. The findings of the study so ensure that every effort will be made to prevent environmental instability by supporting financial resource volatility recovery via governmental agencies, environmental ministries, and departments. The research has several policy implications, including the necessity for different government aid programs and financial agreements that guarantee environmental growth and resilience. The research's policy recommendations are intended to lessen the impact of structural events and increase environmental effectiveness. Research on financial resource recovery is dispersed and understudied despite the issue having a growing corpus of literature.

Community Colleges Can Increase Credential Stacking by Introducing New Programs Within Established Technical Pathways

ABSTRACT “Stackable” credentials offer opportunities for college students to start by earning short-term credentials in vocational and technical fields, then stack additional credentials as they progress in careers, building skills in the classroom and in the workforce. Stackable credentials come at a cost: colleges expend resources in developing and offering stackable credential programs, students pay to enroll, and government aid programs support colleges and students. Given these investments, it is important to know whether stackable programs generate value for students and local economies. This study analyzes the introduction of new certificate or associate degree program options at Ohio community colleges during school years 2004–2005 to 2016–2017. Comparing among students who had just completed a credential, the students whose college had an additional program within their field of study were more likely to re-enroll and earn additional credentials within two years. The additional short-term enrollment did not significantly decrease students’ participation in employment or transfers to a university, indicating that stackable credentials fit with their career and educational progression.

Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) Algorithm for Analysis as Supporting System

In the event of a coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, those in need will be helped through a government aid program known as the Village Cash Direct Assistance beneficiary fund (abbreviated BLT). Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has spread to nearly every corner of the globe, citizens’ activities around the world have been hindered, especially those involving employment to support life’s basic needs. The local economy suffers as a result of people losing their jobs. They have no idea how they will pay for the necessities of life. So, in order to help the locals, the government set up a Village BLT fund support program. Limag Village is one of the settlements that plans to ask for help. When the final decision is made, the village head will choose from the list of households that fit the criteria. A decision support system is one option for achieving clear and exact findings based on the strategy utilized. For a ranking-based decision-support system, the VIKOR approach (Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje) is an excellent choice. In order to reduce the amount of time spent on guesswork when choosing which communities will benefit from BLT Desa money, this study aims to examine and quantify the results of decisions made using criteria that match those criteria. With the use of the following five criteria: profession (K1), number of dependents (K2), social safety net (K3), medical history (K4), and family card (K5): (K5). The results show that the VIKOR approach is able to obtain ranking values from the ten samples it was applied to..

Diet Quality, Nutritional Adequacy, and Sociodemographic Characteristics of Mobile Food Pantry Users in Northeastern Connecticut.

Poor diet quality among low-income populations is a major contributing factor to their poor health and wellbeing, and thus is a focus of many government aid programs. Mobile food pantries are an increasingly popular method of emergency food assistance, targeting the communities most affected by food insecurity; however, little is known about the dietary characteristics of mobile food pantry users. This study aims to characterize the diet quality and nutrient adequacy level and examine its association with sociodemographic characteristics among mobile food pantry users in Windham County, Connecticut. Surveys to assess food insecurity, diet composition, and sociodemographic characteristics were administered to 83 adult food pantry users. Participants (n = 40) completed a three-day dietary record for analysis of diet quality, and were found to have inadequate intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy, as well as some related micronutrients. At least 30% of participants had intakes below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for vitamins A, C, E, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and folate. Intakes of added sugar, sugar sweetened beverages, and saturated fat were also above recommendations according to the United States Dietary Guidelines. Certain sociodemographic factors affected diet quality among this sample. For example, being male was associated with increased sugar-sweetened beverage and added sugar intake. This characterization of mobile pantry users will serve as a reference for developing nutrition education and determining the effectiveness of future interventions.

Food Rescue Networks and the Food System

Before the COVID-19 pandemic it was widely reported that, in the United States, over 40 percent of food produced was wasted During the pandemic, news reports have described unprecedented household food waste, up by 30 percent according to Republic Services, one of the largest waste management services in the US (Helmer 2020) But upstream, food waste was, and continues to be, equally problematic When institutions such as schools and universities, large businesses, restaurants, and other venues must shut down, so too must the food supply chain for those locations Farmers who produce food for large-scale public use have been unable to redirect their products for grocery markets, and so in many cases their harvests and dairy cannot be used Elsewhere along the chain, farm and other food laborers (e g , meat-packing workers, delivery workers) without access to protection and health care cannot continue to pack and deliver food at "normal" levels, and so potential food has been left in fields and warehouses (Evich 2020)

Tracking the effects of COVID-19 in rural China over time

BackgroundChina issued strict nationwide guidelines to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020 and gradually loosened the restrictions on movement in early March. Little is known about how these disease control measures affected the 600 million people who live in rural China. The goal of this paper is to document the quarantine measures implemented in rural China outside the epicenter of Hubei Province and to assess the socioeconomic effect of the measures on rural communities over time.MethodsWe conducted three rounds of interviews with informants from 726 villages in seven provinces, accounting for over 25% of China’s overall rural population. The survey collected data on rural quarantine implementation; COVID-19 infections and deaths in the survey villages; and effects of the quarantine on employment, income, education, health care, and government policies to address any negative impacts. The empirical findings of the work established that strict quarantine measures were implemented in rural villages throughout China in February.ResultsThere was little spread of COVID-19 in rural communities: an infection rate of 0.001% and zero deaths reported in our sample. However, there were negative social and economic outcomes, including high rates of unemployment, falling household income, rising prices, and disrupted student learning. Health care was generally accessible, but many delayed their non-COVID-19 health care due to the quarantine measures. Only 20% of villagers received any form of local government aid, and only 11% of villages received financial subsidies. There were no reports of national government aid programs that targeted rural villagers in the sample areas.ConclusionsBy examining the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 restrictions in rural communities, this study will help to guide other middle- and low-income countries in their containment and restorative processes. Without consideration for economically vulnerable populations, economic hardships and poverty will likely continue to have a negative impact on the most susceptible communities.

Intermediated Credit and Local Resilience

This paper demonstrates the importance of bank capital in improving local resilience and the complementarity of bank capital and government aid programs. We show that following the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown, areas with more jobs supported by subsidized bank loans during normal times had more job losses and business closures, and more so if the local banking sector is less capitalized. Such losses were heavily borne by low-income workers. We also find that areas with a less capitalized banking sector received disproportionately less Paycheck Protection Program funding. Using a dynamic model of firm entry and exit with bank borrowing, we formulate the mechanism of how bank capital can mitigate the impact of adverse aggregate shocks on employment and firm exit. We calibrate the model to quantify effects of bank capital on resilience and the amount of government funding necessary for full resilience in various simulated scenarios of adverse shocks and bank capitalization.

Dissecting Disease, Race, Ethnicity, And Socioeconomic Factors For Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Analysis From The United States Safety Net Collaborative

Presenter: Rachel Lee MD, MSPH | Emory University Background: Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities are assumed to negatively affect treatment and outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our aim was to investigate the interaction of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic factors with stage of disease and type of treatment facility in receipt of treatment and overall survival (OS) of patients with HCC. Methods: We included all patients with primary HCC in the US Safety-Net Collaborative database(2012-2014), which is comprised of five highly select, geographically diverse safety-net hospitals (SNH) and their corresponding quaternary-referral center. Patients were categorized into “safety-net” or “academic” based on where they received treatment. Socioeconomic factors were determined at the zip-code level and included median income, and percent of adults who graduated from high-school. Primary outcomes were receipt of treatment and OS. Results: 1832pts were included. Average age was 61yrs and 77%(n=1405) were male. 57%(n=1039) were treated at academic and 43%(n=793) at safety-net hospitals. Patients treated at SNH were younger(59vs63yrs), less likely to be white(40vs65%), and more likely to be uninsured(27vs4%), have lower median income($43,001vs$52,598), and live in areas in which fewer adults graduated from high school(84vs76%)(all p<0.001). SNH patients were more likely to have a history of alcohol abuse(51vs40%) and to present with stage IV disease(25vs14%); they were less likely to have been previously radiographically screened(17vs27%) or to receive treatment (65vs83%)(all p<0.001). SNH patients had decreased 5-year OS compared to their academic counterparts (24vs37%,p<0.001). On MV Cox regression, neither race/ethnicity, median income, nor care provided at a SNH were directly associated with decreased OS (all p>0.05). Independent predictors of decreased OS included having no insurance(HR 1.34), less educational attainment (HR 1.59) higher MELD score(HR 1.07), higher stage at diagnosis(II:HR 1.34, III:HR 2.87, IV:HR 3.23), and not receiving treatment (HR 3.94)(all p<0.05). Factors associated with not receiving treatment on MV analysis included history of alcohol abuse(HR 0.682), increasing MELD(HR 0.874), and higher stage at diagnosis(III: HR 0.234, IV: HR 0.210). Although these characteristics were more common in patients treated at SNH, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status as measured by income and education, and treatment at a SNH were not associated with receipt of treatment. Of patients who actually received treatment, there were no racial/ethnic or socioeconomic disparities in survival. Instead, survival was dictated by MELD, treatment modality, and stage at presentation. Patients who were screened were more likely to present with stage I disease(62vs39%) and to receive treatment(86vs72%, all p<0.001), both important factors associated with improved survival. Conclusion: The interplay of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, disease biology, and the condition of the host liver is complex as it relates to treatment and outcomes of patients with HCC. While there is overlap amongst all these factors, there is no intrinsic or direct association of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or being treated at select safety-net hospitals with worse outcomes. Poor liver function, no insurance, and advanced stage of presentation are the main determinants of not receiving treatment and decreased survival. Efforts directed towards education, government aid, and screening programs for vulnerable and at-risk patients who receive their care at safety-net hospitals are needed.

Gauging Change in Australian Aid: Stakeholder Perceptions of the Government Aid Program.

In this article, we use data from the 2013 and 2015 Australian Aid Stakeholder Surveys to gauge the extent of the changes to the Australian Government Aid Program since the 2013 federal election. The two surveys targeted the same set of stakeholders of the aid program, and both gathered data on a wide range of aspects of its functioning. As we assess the findings that emerged from the surveys, we situate our work amongst recent academic studies that have looked at the post‐2013 aid changes in Australia. Our key findings are that the post‐2013 changes to Australian aid have had wide‐ranging impacts and have led to deteriorating overall aid quality. However, changes have not affected all aspects of the aid program equally, and some changes are starting to be reversed. In discussion, we examine what these developments mean for the future of Australian aid.

School Absenteeism and Child Labor in Rural Bangladesh

Evidence from many countries suggests a close association between school absenteeism and high rates of school drop-out, grade repetition and low academic achievement, and health and psychological disorders. In rural Bangladesh, school absenteeism is a major issue. Many children who are enrolled do not attend school regularly. Our own calculation using the Multiple Indicator Survey (MICS) 3 2005-06 data shows that more than a quarter of children aged 7-14 years missed at least one day of school in a six-day school week in the rural areas of Bangladesh. In addition, Bangladesh has a very high incidence of child labor. In 2005-06, 41% of children aged 7-14 years participated in the labor market activities in the rural areas. In this paper, we empirically examine the major determinants of school absenteeism and child labor among children aged 7-14 years and number of hours worked by them in rural Bangladesh using the MICS 3 2005-06 data. Since, data on school absenteeism and number of hours worked are censored, we estimate a bivariate Tobit model. Our empirical analysis shows that parental educational level has a significant negative effect on both school absenteeism and number of hours worked by children. The negative effect of education level of mother on school absenteeism is twice as large as that of father. We find that children belonging to poorer households have higher level of school absenteeism and work greater number of hours. Our results suggest that low income and financial constraints continue to act as important barriers to improving schooling outcomes in rural Bangladesh. We also find evidence of gender bias against female children regarding child labor. Female children work significantly greater number of hours than male children. In addition, the gender differential in number of hours worked increases with age. Finally, we find that school absenteeism is lower among children enrolled in higher grades. Results show that low parental education level and significant resource constraints both in terms of wealth and time are main obstacles in improving schooling outcomes for children in rural Bangladesh. There is continuing need to provide financial support to poor households and increase their access to credit market. Reducing school absenteeism in lower grades can help in reducing school drop-outs and improving academic achievement. There is need to target government assistance and aid programs towards children in lower grades and their parents.

Aid Online: An Analysis of How Australian Aid NGOs Use the Internet

In this paper we report on content analysis of the websites and social media feeds of 50 Australian aid NGOs. Overall, on average, NGOs devote more of their internet media space to seeking donations than they do to raising public awareness, or encouraging the public to take action on issues. However, there is variation across media types (on Twitter more space is devoted to awareness raising than donations). There is also variation between NGOs; some NGOs are considerably more awareness and action oriented than others. In the second half of the paper we examine the correlates of how NGOs use the internet. Here, the clearest finding is that NGOs that receive a greater share of their revenue from the Australian Government Aid Program devote more of their internet presence to awareness raising and encouraging the public to take action on development issues. This finding runs counter to expectations of the literature on the state and aid NGOs, in which most authors contend that state funding tends to silence NGOs.

Community teak forestry in Solomon Islands as donor development: When science meets culture

This paper uses a case study of smallholder teak forestry in the Pacific Islands nation of Solomon Islands to evaluate difficulties that can arise when foreign expertise fails to take sufficient account of local epistemology and practices when implementing market based community level development. The planting of community level smallholder teak is widespread in the Solomon Islands and has the potential to address some of the environmental and livelihood damage done by years of indiscriminate logging. Attempts by successive Australian Government aid programs to better manage plantations for maximum yield and marketability have largely failed as competing livelihood priorities; differing philosophies on long term compounding returns and deferred income; and the geographical challenges of accessing markets have all conspired to prevent this high value timber from being grown to its full potential. We use the theories of indigenous epistemology to highlight the ways in which failure to properly integrate economic activity according to the culture and values of communities can mean that initiatives such as this will struggle to succeed.

KAJIAN EKONOMI POLITIK BANTUAN MODAL MASYARAKAT MISKIN STUDI KASUS KEBIJAKAN BANTUAN DANA PELAKU USAHA MIKRO (UKM) DI KABUPATEN BANTUL

Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) is the main sector to prevent developing countries from collapse during the economy crises. Meanwhile in Indonesia, not many policies in SME seem to stand in the right place in helping the SME actors especially the mikro business people. This research aimed to study about the implementation of government aid program in two sub-district in Bantul and how the micro business people perspective about those program. Using triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods, this research tried to combine those insight and fi ndings from the two different data sources. Result in early qualitative research of study has shown two main reasons of government aid program implementation characters: (a) inefective program caused by beureucrate and (b) distrust of community. The following quantitative research was organised to confi rm and emphasize the indicators. Data of questionnaire confi rmed that distrust of people came from the ineffi cient beaurocrate. It also emerged the fact about complexity of program came from the jealousy between benefi ciaries has made the programs less efective.

Housing Markets and Residential Segregation: Impacts of the Michigan School Finance Reform on Inter- and Intra-District Sorting

Local financing of public schools in the United States leads to a bundling of two distinct choices – residential choice and school choice – and has been argued to increase the degree of socioeconomic segregation across school districts. A school finance reform, aimed at equalization of school finances, can in principle weaken this link between housing choice and choice of schools. In this paper, we study the impacts of the Michigan school finance reform of 1994 (Proposal A) on spatial segregation. The reform was a state initiative intended to equalize per-pupil expenditures between Michigan school districts and reduce the role of local financing. We find that Proposal A was responsible for increases in the value of housing stock in the lowest-spending school districts, and for improvements in several socioeconomic indicators in these districts, implying a decline in neighborhood sorting. We also find that the reform affected dispersion of incomes and educational attainment within school districts, increasing within-district heterogeneity in the lowest-spending school districts, while decreasing the same in the highest-spending districts. However, there is continued high demand for residence in the highest-spending communities, suggesting the importance of neighborhood peer effects (local social capital) and implying that even a comprehensive government aid program can fail to make a large impact on residential segregation.