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What if there are no ‘best practices’?

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  • Eric A. Hanushek

Abstract

Developing persuasive and consistent models of educational performance has proved elusive. Existing modelling suggests no clear relationship between resources and student performance. This mirrors observed policy outcomes. A possible explanation is that the achievement process is a complicated interactive one such that simple linear additive formulations break down. This analysis presents a stylized model of achievement where unmeasured teacher quality interacts with both resources and specific educational programs. Standard econometric analyses then replicate the aggregate findings in the literature. A policy implication is that finding ‘best practices’ may fail without recognition of the fundamental interactions.

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  • Eric A. Hanushek, 2004. "What if there are no ‘best practices’?," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 51(2), pages 156-172, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scotjp:v:51:y:2004:i:2:p:156-172
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0036-9292.2004.00300.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Angrist, Joshua D & Lavy, Victor, 2001. "Does Teacher Training Affect Pupil Learning? Evidence from Matched Comparisons in Jerusalem Public Schools," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 19(2), pages 343-369, April.
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    3. Caroline M. Hoxby, 2000. "The Effects of Class Size on Student Achievement: New Evidence from Population Variation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(4), pages 1239-1285.
    4. Hanushek, Eric, 1971. "Teacher Characteristics and Gains in Student Achievement: Estimation Using Micro Data," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 61(2), pages 280-288, May.
    5. Hanushek, Eric A., 2002. "Publicly provided education," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 30, pages 2045-2141, Elsevier.
    6. Joshua D. Angrist & Victor Lavy, 1999. "Using Maimonides' Rule to Estimate the Effect of Class Size on Scholastic Achievement," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 114(2), pages 533-575.
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard J. Murnane & Richard R. Nelson, 2007. "Improving the Performance of the Education Sector: The Valuable, Challenging, and Limited Role of Random Assignment Evaluations," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(5), pages 307-322.
    2. World Bank, 2008. "Colombia - The Quality of Education in Colombia : An Analysis and Options for a Policy Agenda," World Bank Publications - Reports 7875, The World Bank Group.
    3. Fuje,Habtamu Neda & Tandon,Prateek, 2015. "When do in-service teacher training and books improve student achievement ? experimental evidence from Mongolia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7485, The World Bank.
    4. Comi, Simona Lorena & Argentin, Gianluca & Gui, Marco & Origo, Federica & Pagani, Laura, 2017. "Is it the way they use it? Teachers, ICT and student achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 24-39.
    5. Henry Kinnucan & Yuqing Zheng & Gerald Brehmer, 2006. "State Aid and Student Performance: A Supply-Demand Analysis," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 487-509.
    6. Clive R. Belfield, 2005. "Education vouchers and the Cleveland Scholarship Program," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, pages 9-14.
    7. World Bank, 2005. "Mexico : Determinants of Learning Policy Note," World Bank Publications - Reports 8284, The World Bank Group.
    8. Jean-Bernard Rasera, 2005. "L'éducation en Afrique subsaharienne. Les indicateurs d'efficience et leur utilisation politique," Revue Tiers Monde, Programme National Persée, vol. 46(182), pages 407-426.

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