This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

School Size and the Distribution of Test Scores

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Kelly Bedard (UC - Santa Barbara)
William O. Brown, Jr. (Claremont McKenna College)
Eric Helland (Claremont McKenna College)

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

After forty years of school consolidation, the preponderance of the evidence, including the results presented in this paper, suggest that the race to reap returns to scale and specialization in education may have come at a high price. This paper uses newly available STAR test score data from California to explore the relationship between school size and the distribution of test scores across elementary, middle, and high schools. We find that school size has a statistically significant and economically large impact on school performance. For example, the probability that an average suburban high school is dominated by low scorers rises from 47% to 71% as the school grows from 200 to 800 students per grade.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help file. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://econ.claremontmckenna.edu/papers/1999-11.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function:
Download Restriction: no

Publisher Info
Paper provided by Claremont Colleges in its series Claremont Colleges Working Papers with number 1999-11.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML, plain text, BibTeX, RIS (EndNote), ReDIF
Length:
Date of creation:
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:clm:clmeco:1999-11

Contact details of provider:
Postal: 500 E. 9th Street, Claremont, CA 91711
Phone: (909) 607-3041
Fax: (909) 621-8249
Web page: http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/econ/papers/
More information through EDIRC

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: ().

Related research
Keywords: school size test scores

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General

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.:

  1. Kumar, Ramesh C, 1983. "Economies of Scale in School Operation: Evidence from Canada," Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 323-40, June.
  2. Steve Bradley & Jim Taylor, 1998. "The effect of school size on exam performance in secondary schools," Working Papers 000002, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    Other versions:
  3. Osburn, Donald D, 1970. "Economies of Size Associated with Public High Schools," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 52(1), pages 113-15, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Watt, P A, 1980. "Economies of Scale in Schools: Some Evidence from the Private Sector," Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 235-42, June.
  5. Julian R. Betts, 1995. "Which Types of Public School Spending are Most Effective? New Evidence on The School Quality Debate," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series 95-03, Department of Economics, UC San Diego. [Downloadable!]
  6. Eide, Eric & Showalter, Mark H., 1998. "The effect of school quality on student performance: A quantile regression approach," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(3), pages 345-350, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Sander, William, 1993. "Expenditures and student achievement in Illinois : New evidence," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 403-416, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Arnott, Richard & Rowse, John, 1987. "Peer group effects and educational attainment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 287-305, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Bee, M & Dolton, P J, 1985. "Costs and Economies of Scale in UK Private Schools," Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 17(2), pages 281-90, April.
  10. Brown, Byron W & Saks, Daniel H, 1975. "The Production and Distribution of Cognitive Skills within Schools," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 83(3), pages 571-93, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Deller, Steven C. & Rudnicki, Edward, 1993. "Production efficiency in elementary education: The case of Maine public schools," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 45-57, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Full references

Cited by:
(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. Jane Friesen & Brian Krauth, 2004. "Sorting and inequality in Canadian schools," HEW 0408001, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. J. S. Ferris & E. G. West, 2004. "Economies of scale, school violence and the optimal size of schools," Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 36(15), pages 1677-1684, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Edward P. Lazear, 1999. "Educational Production," NBER Working Papers 7349, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Kelly Bedard & William O. Brown, Jr., . "The Allocation of Public School Expenditures," Claremont Colleges Working Papers 2000-16, Claremont Colleges. [Downloadable!]
  5. Corak, Miles & Lauzon, Darren, 2005. "Differences in the Distribution of High School Achievement: The Role of Class Size and Time-in-term," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2005270e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch. [Downloadable!]
  6. Corak, Miles & Lauzon, Darren, 2005. "Différences entre les distributions du rendement scolaire au secondaire : le rôle de la taille de la classe et du temps d'enseignement," Direction des études analytiques : documents de recherche 2005270f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques. [Downloadable!]
  7. Ambrose Leung & J. Stephen Ferris, 2002. "School Size and Youth Violence," Carleton Economic Papers 02-10, Carleton University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? Apart from a small start up grant in the 1990's, RePEc has received no funding and lives on the help of volunteers.

This page was last updated on 2008-9-28.


This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.