Economic Development Zone Education Savings Accounts: Implementation Considerations and Methods

Principal Investigator: Bart Danielsen

Sponsor: The Luddy Foundation

Award Period: 7/1/2019 - 12/31/2020

Amount: $39,142

Description: Although there are several ways policymakers could identify neighborhoods as “economic development zones,” this study will analyze the feasibility of using ZIP codes, census tract, and the new federal Opportunity Zones designated by the North Carolina governor’s office. This analysis will assess the benefits and problems of using each of these geographic designations, and it will also consider the fiscal costs of doing each. If state funding capacity is inadequate to fund the optimal program, the research project will be expanded to evaluate alternative methods for prioritizing participation in the program.