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Consolidating Rural School Districts: Potential Savings And Effects On Student Achievement

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  • Jacques, Charles
  • Brorsen, B. Wade
  • Richter, Francisca G.-C.

Abstract

One frequently proposed policy is to consolidate rural school districts in order to save money by obtaining economies of size. The effects of school district size on both expenditures and standardized test scores are estimated for Oklahoma. Results indicate that economies of scale with respect to expenditures per student exist up to an average daily membership (ADM) of 965 students, but that as school districts become larger, tests scores decline. Even if savings in school district administration from consolidation are spent on instruction, state average tests scores would decrease slightly. Thus, school district consolidation can reduce costs, but it will also reduce student learning.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacques, Charles & Brorsen, B. Wade & Richter, Francisca G.-C., 2000. "Consolidating Rural School Districts: Potential Savings And Effects On Student Achievement," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 32(3), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:joaaec:15312
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.15312
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    2. Edelman, Mark, 2000. "Potential Cost Savings and Framework of Strategies for Improved Delivery of Government Services," Staff General Research Papers Archive 2074, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    3. Marchionni, Mariana & Vazquez, Emmanuel & Pinto, Florencia, 2012. "Desigualdad educativa en la Argentina. Análisis en base a los datos PISA 2009 [Education Inequality in Argentina. An analysis based on PISA 2009 data]," MPRA Paper 56420, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Kelly Tiller & Paul Jakus, 2004. "Explaining Cooperation in Municipal Solid Waste Management," Working Papers 2004-07, Utah State University, Department of Economics.
    5. Marchionni, Mariana & Pinto, Florencia & Vazquez, Emmanuel, 2013. "Determinantes de la desigualdad en el desempeño educativo en la Argentina [Determinants of the inequality in PISA test scores in Argentina]," MPRA Paper 56421, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Heinesen, Eskil, 2005. "School district size and student educational attainment: evidence from Denmark," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 677-689, December.
    7. Marvin E. Dodson & Thomas A. Garrett, 2004. "Inefficient Education Spending in Public School Districts: A Case for Consolidation?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 22(2), pages 270-280, April.
    8. Hanley, Paul F., 2007. "Transportation cost changes with statewide school district consolidation," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 163-179, June.
    9. Tiller, Kelly & Jakus, Paul M., 2005. "Applying the Miceli Model to Explain Cooperation in Municipal Solid Waste Management," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 34(2), pages 1-9, October.
    10. Han, Kwideok & Whitacre, Brian E., 2018. "Student Performance and School Size: A Two-stage Spatial Quantile Regression Approach to Evaluate Oklahoma High Schools," 2018 Annual Meeting, February 2-6, 2018, Jacksonville, Florida 266597, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.

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