TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Andreoli, Francesco
AU  - Havnes, Tarjei
AU  - Lefranc, Arnaud
        TI  - Equalization of Opportunity: Definitions, Implementable Conditions and Application to Early-Childhood Policy Evaluation
        PY  - 2014/Sep/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 8503
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp8503
        AB  - This paper develops a criterion to assess equalization of opportunity that is consistent with theoretical views of equality of opportunity. We characterize inequality of opportunity as a situation where some groups in society enjoy an illegitimate advantage. In this context, equalization of opportunity requires that the extent of the illegitimate advantage enjoyed by the privileged groups falls. Robustness requires that this judgement be supported by the broadest class of individual preferences. We formalize this criterion in a decision theoretic framework, and derive an empirical condition for equalization of opportunity based on observed opportunity distributions. The criterion is used to assess the effectiveness of child care at equalizing opportunity among children, using quantile treatment effects estimates of a major child care reform in Norway.
        KW  - economic distance
KW  - inverse stochastic dominance
KW  - public policy
KW  - equality of opportunity
KW  - income distribution
KW  - child care
KW  - pre-school
        ER  -