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Over-estimating the effects of teacher attributes on school performance in the Chilean education system

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  • Gabriela Toledo Román
  • Juan Pablo Valenzuela

Abstract

This article investigates the biases involved in estimating the effects of teacher attributes on school’s performance. The study was performed for Chilean educational system, where student distribution is differentiated by schools and teachers are not randomly assigned to them. Findings showed that teacher attributes which favored learning appeared more frequently alongside higher socioeconomic status students. When correcting the bias, results showed that the effects of teacher attributes have been overestimated for the vast majority of characteristics. Nonetheless, attributes such as teaching experience, being a woman, having short-term specific professional training, and having a greater curriculum coverage continued to have positive impacts on the performance of 4th grade students.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriela Toledo Román & Juan Pablo Valenzuela, 2015. "Over-estimating the effects of teacher attributes on school performance in the Chilean education system," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 42(1 Year 20), pages 99-128, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:udc:esteco:v:42:y:2015:i:1:p:99-128
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Canales, Andrea & Maldonado, Luis, 2018. "Teacher quality and student achievement in Chile: Linking teachers' contribution and observable characteristics," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 33-50.
    2. Irene Campos-García & José Ángel Zúñiga-Vicente, 2019. "The female presence in different organisational positions and performance in secondary schools: Does a woman leader function as mediator?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-25, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Teacher attributes; sorting; school segregation; school performance.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A2 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education

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