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Measuring technical efficiency in schools: a critic revision

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  • Daniel Santín

    (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

Abstract

From its origin, the techniques for measuring efficiency in schools have been widely applied to evaluate public expenditure in education. The aim of this study is to make a critic revision over the risks of performing efficiency analysis without considering the special characteristics of education, where production function is so complex. Moreover, this paper proposes decision trees in order to analyze the educational sector. This technique is able to generate logical rules to model the educational production function offering an easy framework to take decisions about the allocation of public expenditure in education. To illustrate these ideas this paper conducts an empirical analysis using a Spanish 15 year old students database from PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) captured in 2000.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Santín, 2006. "Measuring technical efficiency in schools: a critic revision," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 177(2), pages 57-82, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:hpe:journl:y:2006:v:177:i:2:p:57-82
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    efficiency; public expenditure in education; decision trees.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C44 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Operations Research; Statistical Decision Theory
    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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