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What Accounts for International Differences in Student Performance? A Re-Examination Using PISA Data

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Author Info
Thomas Fuchs ()
Ludger Woessmann ()

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Abstract

We use the PISA student-level achievement database to estimate international education production functions. Student characteristics, family backgrounds, home inputs, resources, teachers and institutions are all significantly related to math, science and reading achievement. Our models account for more than 85 percent of the between-country performance variation, with roughly 25 percent accruing to institutional variation. Student performance is higher with external exams and budget formulation, but also with school autonomy in textbook choice, hiring teachers and within-school budget allocations. School autonomy is more beneficial in systems with external exit exams. Students perform better in privately operated schools, but private funding is not decisive.

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Paper provided by CESifo GmbH in its series CESifo Working Paper Series with number CESifo Working Paper No. 1235.

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Date of creation: 2004
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Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_1235

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Related research
Keywords: education production function PISA international variation in student performance institutional effects in schooling

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Boundaries of Public and Private Enterprise; Privatization; Contracting Out

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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  3. Caroline M. Hoxby, 2001. "All School Finance Equalizations Are Not Created Equal," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 116(4), pages 1189-1231, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Nechyba, Thomas J, 1999. " School Finance Induced Migration and Stratification Patterns: The Impact of Private School Vouchers," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 1(1), pages 5-50. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. Bishop, John H, 1997. "The Effect of National Standards and Curriculum-Based Exams on Achievement," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(2), pages 260-64, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  19. Betts, Julian R, 1998. "The Impact of Educational Standards on the Level and Distribution of Earnings," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(1), pages 266-75, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Ammermüller, Andreas, 2005. "Educational Opportunities and the Role of Institutions," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-44, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Horst Entorf & Martina Lauk, 2006. "Peer Effects, Social Multipliers and Migrants at School: An International Comparison," Center for European, Governance and Economic Development Research (cege) Discussion Papers 57, Center for European, Governance and Economic Development Research, University of Goettingen (Germany)., revised 12 Mar 2007. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Elizabeth Cascio & Damon Clark & Nora Gordon, 2008. "Education and the Age Profile of Literacy into Adulthood," NBER Working Papers 14073, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Ludger Woessmann, 2006. "Public-Private Partnership and Schooling Outcomes across Countries," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo GmbH. [Downloadable!]
  5. Woessmann, Ludger & Fuchs, Thomas, 2005. "Families, schools, and primary-school learning : evidence for Argentina and Colombia in an international perspective," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3537, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  6. Michael Fertig, 2004. "What Can We Learn From International Student Performance Studies? Some Methodological Remarks," RWI Discussion Papers 0023, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung. [Downloadable!]
  7. LUDGER WÖßMANN, 2005. "The effect heterogeneity of central examinations: evidence from TIMSS, TIMSS-Repeat and PISA," Education Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 143-169, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Thomas Fuchs & Ludger Woessmann, 2004. "Computers and Student Learning: Bivariate and Multivariate Evidence on the Availability and Use of Computers at Home and at School," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo GmbH. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Ludger Woessmann, 2004. "The Effect Heterogeneity of Central Exams: Evidence from TIMSS, TIMSS-Repeat and PISA," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo GmbH. [Downloadable!]
  10. Alvarez, Jesus & Moreno, Vicente Garcia & Patrinos, Harry Anthony, 2007. "Institutional effects as determinants of learning outcomes : exploring state variations in Mexico," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4286, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  11. Gianna Barbieri & Piero Cipollone & Paolo Sestito, 2008. "Labour market for teachers: Demographic characteristics and allocative mechanisms," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 672, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
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  12. Ludger Wößmann, 2007. "Fundamental Determinants of School Efficiency and Equity: German States as a Microcosm for OECD Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 2880, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  13. Gabriela Schütz & Heinrich W. Ursprung & Ludger Woessmann, 2005. "Education Policy and Equality of Opportunity," IZA Discussion Papers 1906, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  14. Justina A.V. Fischer, 2005. "The Impact of Direct Democracy on Public Education: Performance of Swiss Students in Reading," University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2005 2005-10, Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen. [Downloadable!]
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