Estimation of a Factor-Augmented Linear Model with Applications Using Student Achievement Data

Abstract

In many longitudinal settings, economic theory does not guide practitioners on the type of restrictions that must be imposed to solve the rotational indeterminacy of factor-augmented linear models. We study this problem and offer several novel results on identification using internally generated instruments. We propose a new class of estimators and establish large sample results using recent developments on clustered samples and high-dimensional models. We carry out simulation studies which show that the proposed approaches improve the performance of existing methods on the estimation of unknown factors. Lastly, we consider three empirical applications using administrative data of students clustered in different subjects in elementary school, high school and college.