Rural America has long been perceived as "left behind" by policies that leave it struggling while benefiting bustling urban cities and suburbs. That narrative holds some truth: rural America has a declining population, along with lower educational attainment and lower workforce participation than urban America. But while rural America…

This dissertation examines the impact of state educational programs on the economics of education and labor, focusing on the New York State (NYS) STEM Incentive Program and China's tuition-free policy for vocational secondary education (VSE). The first two Chapters analyze the effects of the NYS STEM Incentive Program, an initiative implemented in…

The acceleration of the shift to online and remote learning and working brings new opportunities, but it also brings the potential for further inequities in the labor market. Older workers stand to benefit greatly from the expanded access that online and remote learning and working provides. This report documents some of the barriers and…