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Quasi-experimental Estimates of the Effect of Class Size on Achievement in Norway

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  • Edwin Leuven
  • Hessel Oosterbeek
  • Marte Rønning

Abstract

Using a comprehensive Norwegian administrative database, we exploit independent quasi-experimental methods to estimate the effect of class size on student achievement at the end of lower-secondary school. Identification based on maximum class-size rules and population variation (and variations on these methods) give very similar estimates. We cannot reject that the class-size effect is equal to zero, and can rule out effects as small as 1.5 percent of a standard deviation for a one-student change in class size during three consecutive years. Copyright © The editors of the "Scandinavian Journal of Economics" 2008 .

Suggested Citation

  • Edwin Leuven & Hessel Oosterbeek & Marte Rønning, 2008. "Quasi-experimental Estimates of the Effect of Class Size on Achievement in Norway," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 110(4), pages 663-693, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scandj:v:110:y:2008:i:4:p:663-693
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    Cited by:

    1. Falch, Torberg & Johansen, Kåre & Strøm, Bjarne, 2009. "Teacher shortages and the business cycle," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 648-658, December.
    2. Fiva, Jon H. & Rønning, Marte, 2008. "The incentive effects of property taxation: Evidence from Norwegian school districts," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 49-62, January.
    3. repec:bla:obuest:v:79:y:2017:i:5:p:654-688 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Peter Fredriksson & Björn Öckert & Hessel Oosterbeek, 2013. "Long-Term Effects of Class Size," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 128(1), pages 249-285.
    5. Hægeland, Torbjørn & Raaum, Oddbjørn & Salvanes, Kjell G., 2012. "Pennies from heaven? Using exogenous tax variation to identify effects of school resources on pupil achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 601-614.
    6. repec:eee:ecoedu:v:58:y:2017:i:c:p:68-85 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Katsuyuki Naito & Keigo Nishida, 2017. "Multistage public education, voting, and income distribution," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 120(1), pages 65-78, January.
    8. Hideo Akabayashi & Ryosuke Nakamura, 2014. "Can Small Class Policy Close the Gap? An Empirical Analysis of Class Size Effects in Japan," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 65(3), pages 253-281, September.
    9. Bethlehem Argaw & Patrick Puhani, 2017. "Does Class Size Matter for School Tracking Outcomes After Elementary School? Quasi-Experimental Evidence Using Administrative Panel Data from Germany," CReAM Discussion Paper Series 1715, Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London.
    10. Edwin Leuven & Marte Rønning, 2016. "Classroom Grade Composition and Pupil Achievement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(593), pages 1164-1192, June.
    11. Maria De Paola & Michela Ponzo & Vincenzo Scoppa, 2013. "Class size effects on student achievement: heterogeneity across abilities and fields," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 135-153, March.
    12. Fernando Albornoz & Samuel Berlinski & Antonio Cabrales, 2010. "Incentives, resources and the organization of the school system," Working Papers 2010-28, FEDEA.
    13. Christopher Jepsen, 2015. "Class size: Does it matter for student achievement?," IZA World of Labor, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), pages 190-190, September.
    14. Reiling, Rune Borgan, 2016. "Does size matter? Educational attainment and cohort size," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 73-89.
    15. Joshua D. Angrist & Victor Lavy & Jetson Leder-Luis & Adi Shany, 2017. "Maimonides Rule Redux," NBER Working Papers 23486, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Joshua D. Angrist & Erich Battistin & Daniela Vuri, 2014. "In a Small Moment: Class Size and Moral Hazard in the Mezzogiorno," FBK-IRVAPP Working Papers 2014-04, Research Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies (IRVAPP), Bruno Kessler Foundation.
    17. Birkenfeld, Florian, 2008. "Kleine Klassen und gute Luft: Warum sind die Grundschulen auf dem Land besser?," Passauer Diskussionspapiere, Volkswirtschaftliche Reihe V-56-08, University of Passau, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    18. Leuven, Edwin & Løkken, Sturla Andreas, 2017. "Long Term Impacts of Class Size in Compulsory School," IZA Discussion Papers 10594, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    19. Hideo Akabayashi & Ryosuke Nakamura, 2012. "Can Small Class Policy Close The Gap? An Empirical Analysis Of Class Size Effects In Japan," Working Papers e51, Tokyo Center for Economic Research.
    20. repec:aea:aejapp:v:9:y:2017:i:4:p:216-49 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Masakazu Hojo, 2011. "Education Production Function and Class-Size Effects in Japanese Public Schools," Global COE Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series gd11-194, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    22. De Paola, Maria & Scoppa, Vincenzo, 2009. "Effects of Class Size on Achievement of College Students," MPRA Paper 16945, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Joshua D. Angrist & Erich Battistin & Daniela Vuri, 2017. "In a Small Moment: Class Size and Moral Hazard in the Italian Mezzogiorno," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 216-249, October.
    24. Jonah Rockoff, 2009. "Field Experiments in Class Size from the Early Twentieth Century," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 23(4), pages 211-230, Fall.
    25. Graham McKee & Katharine Sims & Steven Rivkin, 2015. "Disruption, learning, and the heterogeneous benefits of smaller classes," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 1267-1286, May.

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    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education

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