Do Regulations Really Kill Jobs?

Climate and Environment Faculty Lead Reed Walker tells The Atlantic that“Benefits from environmental policy far exceed the costs.” Read the full article HERE. 

Some Colleges Have More Students From the Top 1 Percent Than the Bottom 60. Find Yours.

New research by Emmanuel Saez and Danny Yagan shows "roughly one in four of the richest students attend an elite college...

In contrast, less than one-half of 1 percent of children from the bottom fifth of American families attend an elite college; less than half attend any college at all." 

Read the full article from The New York Times' TheUpshot and view the full report at The Equality of Opportunity Project.

The Earned Income Tax Credit: a key policy to support families facing wage stagnation

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has been supporting the incomes of low-income working families since 1975. It is now a major anti-poverty program for both adults and children. This brief provides an overview of how the Earned Income Tax Credit supports families in a context of wage stagnation and encourages work. Together with the Child Tax Credit, the EITC lifted 9.2 million people, including 4.8 million children, out of poverty in 2015. It has long-lasting benefits on maternal and children’s health and on children’s development. The EITC has therefore positive effects beyond its direct cash value to recipients. 

By Hilary Hoynes, January 10, 2017

"It Turns Out Spending More Probably Does Improve Education"

The New York Times spoke with Jesse Rothstein, O-Lab Co-Director and Economics professor.  Rothstein's new research shows that school finance reforms led "to improved achievement and improved outcomes for children in low-income school districts."  

"Unlocking Government Administrative Data with New California Policy Lab."

UC Berkeley and UCLA are creating a secure data warehouse that will work with government agencies to link administrative data and further research. Read more HERE.

What's Next? The Need for Evidence Based Research

The election may be over, but the need for rigorous research that addresses growing poverty and inequality remains just as vital.  On October 17, a group of people gathered at O-Lab's launch event to hear Christina Romer, David Card, and Enrico Moretti discuss education, housing, and the role rigorous evidence based research can play in shaping economic policy.  Read more about the event HERE and view the slideshow below. 

The Next President Should Expand Social Security

O-Lab Co-Director Jesse Rothstein tells Bloomberg that we can expand Social Security "without increasing the burden on middle-class workers." 

Solomon Hsiang Discusses the True Cost of Climate Change at MIT

Did you know the human and economic cost of cyclones is 15 times larger than previously thought? Watch this video of Solomon Hsiang discussing the link between inequality and climate change to find out more. 

"How Presidents can Help Boost American Economic Mobility"

Enrico Moretti discusses how geography and education affect economic mobility with Ari Shapiro on All Things Considered.  

Hilary Hoynes Appointed to the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking

Congratulations to O-Lab Professor Hilary Hoynes on her appointment to the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking.  The commission, signed into law with bipartisan support, "lays critical groundwork for adopting evidence-based policies that maximize public investment and improve lives," according to the Urban Institute. 

Click HERE for a full list of the Commission members. 

Is the U.S. Due for Radically Raising Taxes for the Rich? - The Atlantic

That’s what has usually happened whenever a large proportion of Americans have been upset with the distribution of their country’s wealth. See full article in the Atlantic here.