Shanks, Trina Williams
Kim, Youngmi
Loke, Vernon
Destin, Mesmin
Assets and Child Well-Being in Developed Countries
CSD Working Papers No. 09-66, Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, 2009.
Also: http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/WP09-66.pdf
Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79
Publisher: Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work
Keyword(s): Assets; Child Development; Children, Well-Being; Family Resources; Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID);

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

Although there is no universal approach to offering Child Development Accounts (CDAs), this paper introduces a framework for an age-based conceptual model that describes how such accounts might influence indicators of child wellbeing. With a focus on optimal age-appropriate development beginning at birth and ranging through young adulthood, the model incorporates research from multiple disciplines to include direct effects, indirect effects and critical milestones. We review empirical evidence from national datasets (primarily from the United States, but including research from other developed countries) to provide a context for this framework. This conceptual and empirical backdrop provides a starting point from which to critique key dimensions of CDA policy and consider potential implications of such an approach. Suggestions for future research are offered.

Zhan, Min
Sherraden, Michael
Assets and Liabilities, Race/Ethnicity, and Children's College Education
Research Brief Report No. 10-09, Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, February 2010.
Also: http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/RB10-09.pdf
Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79, NLSY79 Young Adult
Publisher: Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work
Keyword(s): Assets; Black Family; College Enrollment; College Graduates; Credit/Credit Constraint; Debt/Borrowing; Educational Attainment; Educational Costs; Ethnic Groups/Ethnicity; Hispanics;

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

Using longitudinal data, this study looks at White, Black, and Hispanic families to examine relationships between household resources (especially assets and liabilities) and children's later college education—both attendance and graduation.This study extends research conducted by Zhan and Sherraden (2009) with in-depth analysis of college attendance and completion within racial/ethnic groups.

Research Questions
We ask two research questions. First, are household assets (financial and nonfinancial assets) and liabilities (secured and unsecured debt) associated with disparities in college attendance and college graduation among White, Black, and Hispanic children? Second, do assets and liabilities have differential links to college education for children from White, Black, and Hispanic families?

Research Methods
Data are drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) main file and the NLSY79 child/young adult data sets. The study sample (N=1,162) includes children who were 11 to 17 years old in 1994. Data related to household assets, liabilities, and other parent and child characteristics are from mother/child data of survey year 1994, and information on children's college attendance and college graduation is from young adult data of survey year 2006, when these children were 23 to 29 years old. In this way, temporal order between assets and liabilities and later college education is established.

Zhan, Min
Sherraden, Michael
Assets and Liabilities, Race/Ethnicity, and Children's College Education
Working Paper No. 10-08, Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, 2010
Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79, NLSY79 Young Adult
Publisher: Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work
Keyword(s): Assets; Black Family; College Enrollment; College Graduates; Credit/Credit Constraint; Debt/Borrowing; Educational Attainment; Educational Costs; Ethnic Groups/Ethnicity; Hispanics;

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

This study examines the extent to which household assets and liabilities are related to disparities in children's college attendance and college graduation among White, Black, and Hispanic families. Results indicate that, after household assets are considered, a substantial portion of the Black-White gap in college attendance and college graduation disappears, and a small portion of the Hispanic-White gap in college graduation also disappears. Separate analyses of children from each racial/ethnic group further indicate that family income and financial assets are related to White children's college attendance and graduation, but nonfinancial assets and unsecured debt are associated with college attendance and graduation among Black and Hispanic children. Policy implications are considered.

Zhan, Min
Sherraden, Michael
Assets and Liabilities, Educational Expectations, and Children's College Degree Attainment
Research Brief Report No. 09-63, Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, November 2009.
Also: http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/RB09-63.pdf
Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79, NLSY79 Young Adult
Publisher: Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work
Keyword(s): Assets; College Enrollment; College Graduates; Credit/Credit Constraint; Debt/Borrowing; Educational Aspirations/Expectations; Educational Attainment; Educational Costs;

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

Data are drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) main file and the child/young adult data sets. The study sample (n=750) includes children who were 11 to 14 years old in 1994. Data related to parental assets, expectations, and other parent characteristics are taken from the survey year 1994, and children's college graduation is measured in 2006, when these children were 23 to 26 years old. In this way, a temporal order is established between assets/liabilities, expectations, and children's later college graduation.

Zhan, Min
Sherraden, Michael
Assets and Liabilities, Educational Expectations, and Children's College Degree Attainment
CSD Working Papers No. 09-60, Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, 2009.
Also: http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/RB09-63.pdf
Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79, NLSY79 Young Adult
Publisher: Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work
Keyword(s): Assets; College Enrollment; College Graduates; Credit/Credit Constraint; Debt/Borrowing; Educational Aspirations/Expectations; Educational Attainment; Educational Costs;

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

This research examines relationships among household assets and liabilities, educational expectations of children and parents, and children's college degree attainment. Special attention is paid to influences of different asset types (financial vs. nonfinancial assets) and liabilities (secured vs. unsecured debt). Results indicate that, after controlling for family income and other parent/child characteristics, financial and nonfinancial assets are positively related to, and unsecured debt is negatively related to, children's college completion. Furthermore, there is evidence that financial assets are positively associated with the education expectations of parents and children. Policy directions are suggested.