Working part-time during the school year is good for teenagers, as long as they limit their work hours, concludes a newly published study.
Photo: Amina Filkins/Pexels
Students with part-time jobs earn higher test scores and complete more schooling, writes Fordham’s Amber Northern. They’re also less likely to be arrested for a non-traffic-related crime. Working may reduce absenteeism and dropouts, evidence suggests.
Working 10 hours a week produces the most benefits, the study finds. Working more than 12 hours during the school week “appears to leave too little time for school work, resulting in negative impacts,” writes Northern.
I’ve seem similar research before. Basically, students who take part-time jobs learn to manage their time, take responsibility and plan for the future. Just about any job is a learning experience when you’re young. But too much work makes Jack a dull boy.
Northern links to stories on career-technical pathways and summer jobs improve student outcomes.
Fordham wants to “blur the lines between high school, college and career.”
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