Ishita Ahmed

An applied economist specializing in Labor Economics, Economics of Education, and Public Economics. Adept at leveraging research experience to explore the influence of public policies on individuals’ labor market and educational outcomes. Expertise in applying quasi-experimental research methods for causal inference purpose. Proven public speaking skills and experienced in presenting research at conferences.

 Midwest Economics Association Conference, Western Economics Association Conference, Second UNL Kansas K-State Economic Research Day, APPAM Fall Research Conference (Scheduled) ~ 2023 

Southern Economics Association Conference ~ 2022 

 Graduate Student Representative (UNL) ~2023-2024; Undergrad Committee Representative (UNL) ~ 2023-2024; Chair at Midwest Economics Association Conference ~ 2023; Judge at McNair 2023 Summer Research Colloquium ~ 2023; Community Curriculum Council (Lincoln Public School) ~ 2022-2023; Micro theory search committee (UNL) ~ 2019 

 Software: STATA, R, Python, Microsoft Office, LATEX 

American Economic Association (AEA), Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP), Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM), Midwest Economics Association (MEA), Dhaka University Economics Department Alumni Association (DUEDAA), Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA)

 Health Mentoring Workshop hosted by CSWEP and AEA ~ 2021;  ARTNeT/ ESCAP/ UNDP Workshop on ‘Trade and Gender Linkages’ in Bangkok, Thailand ~ 2010


 

• Maternal Labor Supply and Change in the Kindergarten Cutoff
• English Proficiency and Occupational Sorting of U.S. Childhood Immigrants

The Impact of School Entry Age on Student Achievement: Evidence from Nebraska 

Using administrative data with exact date of birth from the Nebraska Department of Education, I assess the impact of waiting an additional year to start kindergarten on students’ educational outcomes and find a positive significant impact of waiting on test scores. The positive impact of the fuzzy regression discontinuity design diminishes over time, and the diminishing effect is more pronounced for children from disadvantaged households. This suggests that the decision to delay kindergarten may worsen the socioeconomic achievement gap. However, using exogenous change in the kindergarten entry policy in Nebraska, I could not find any impact of moving the kindergarten cutoff earlier on the achievement gap.