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Central school exit exams and labor-market outcomes

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  • Piopiunik, Marc
  • Schwerdt, Guido
  • Woessmann, Ludger

Abstract

Many countries use centralized exit exams as a governance devise of the school system. While abundant evidence suggests positive effects of central exams on achievement tests, previous research on university-bound students shows no effects on subsequent earnings. We suggest that labor-market effects may be more imminent for students leaving school directly for the labor market and, on rigid labor markets, for unemployment. Exploiting variation in exit-exam systems across German states, we find that central exams are indeed associated with higher earnings for students from the school type directly bound for the labor market, as well as with lower unemployment.

Suggested Citation

  • Piopiunik, Marc & Schwerdt, Guido & Woessmann, Ludger, 2013. "Central school exit exams and labor-market outcomes," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 93-108.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:poleco:v:31:y:2013:i:c:p:93-108
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2013.04.005
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    1. La importancia de las evaluaciones educativas como herramienta de transparencia y mejora (I)
      by Ismael Sanz Labrador in Politikon on 2016-09-13 13:00:05

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Central exit exams; Earnings; Unemployment; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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