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The effect of school resources on educational attainment: evidence from Denmark

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  • Eskil Heinesen
  • Brian Krogh Graversen

Abstract

We investigate the effect of school inputs in primary and lower secondary schools on the probability of eventually passing upper secondary or vocational education. Danish administrative register data for a large number of young people and their parents are used. Educational outcome and controls for family background are measured at the individual level, whereas school expenditure and controls for municipal socioeconomic characteristics are measured at the municipal level. As unobserved characteristics may be correlated for pupils within the same municipality, we estimate linear probability and logit models with random municipal‐specific effects in addition to standard OLS and logit models. With the full sample of pupils and the full set of controls, we find that expenditure per pupil has a statistically significant, but rather small, positive effect on educational attainment. Effects of teacher–pupil ratios are less significant. The expenditure effects are generally higher for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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  • Eskil Heinesen & Brian Krogh Graversen, 2005. "The effect of school resources on educational attainment: evidence from Denmark," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 109-143, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:buecrs:v:57:y:2005:i:2:p:109-143
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0307-3378.2005.00217.x
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    2. Warning, Susanne & Dürrenberger, Nicole, 2015. "Corruption and education: Does public financing of higher education matter?," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112836, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Paul Bingley & Vibeke Myrup Jensen & Ian Walker, 2007. "The Effect of School Class Size on Post-Compulsory Education: Some Cost Benefit Analysis," Working Papers 200717, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    4. Ana María Iregui & Ligia Melo B. & Jorge Ramos F., 2006. "Evaluación Y Análisis De Eficiencia De La Educación En Colombia," Borradores de Economia 2645, Banco de la Republica.
    5. Ana María Iregui & Ligia Melo & Jorge Ramos, 2006. "La educación en Colombia: Análisis del marco normativo y de los indicadores sectoriales," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario, December.
    6. Ludger Wößmann, 2003. "European education production functions: what makes a difference for student achievement in Europe?," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 190, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    7. World Bank, 2009. "Colombia - Decentralization : Options and Incentives for Efficiency - Main Report," World Bank Publications - Reports 3096, The World Bank Group.
    8. Duerrenberger, Nicole & Warning, Susanne, 2018. "Corruption and education in developing countries: The role of public vs. private funding of higher education," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 217-225.
    9. 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.
    10. Mads Meier Jæger, 2007. "Economic and Social Returns To Educational Choices," Rationality and Society, , vol. 19(4), pages 451-483, November.
    11. World Bank, 2009. "Colombia - Decentralization : Options and Incentives for Efficiency - Sector Annexes," World Bank Publications - Reports 3097, The World Bank Group.
    12. Bingley, Paul & Jensen, Vibeke Myrup & Walker, Ian, 2005. "The Effects of School Class Size on Length of Post-Compulsory Education: Some Cost-Benefit Analysis," IZA Discussion Papers 1605, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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