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What Accounts for International Differences in Student Performance? A Re-Examination Using PISA Data (new title: What accounts for international differences in student performance? A re-examination using PISA)

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  • Thomas Fuchs
  • Ludger Woessmann

Abstract

We use the PISA student-level achievement database to estimate international education production functions. Student characteristics, family backgrounds, home inputs, resources, teachers and institutions are all significantly related to math, science and reading achievement. Our models account for more than 85 percent of the between-country performance variation, with roughly 25 percent accruing to institutional variation. Student performance is higher with external exams and budget formulation, but also with school autonomy in textbook choice, hiring teachers and within-school budget allocations. School autonomy is more beneficial in systems with external exit exams. Students perform better in privately operated schools, but private funding is not decisive.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Fuchs & Ludger Woessmann, 2004. "What Accounts for International Differences in Student Performance? A Re-Examination Using PISA Data (new title: What accounts for international differences in student performance? A re-examination us," CESifo Working Paper Series 1235, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_1235
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    Cited by:

    1. World Bank, 2008. "Colombia - The Quality of Education in Colombia : An Analysis and Options for a Policy Agenda," World Bank Publications - Reports 7875, The World Bank Group.
    2. Fertig, Michael, 2004. "What Can We Learn From International Student Performance Studies? Some Methodological Remarks," RWI Discussion Papers 23, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    3. Emanuela di Gropello, 2006. "Meeting the Challenges of Secondary Education in Latin America and East Asia : Improving Efficiency and Resource Mobilization," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7173, December.
    4. Gabriel Octavian NEGREA & Dan-Maniu DUSE, 2014. "Investigating Autonomy, Accountability And Educational Management Priorities In Romanian High Schools; Preliminary Results," Proceedings of the INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 8(1), pages 35-50, November.
    5. Ludger Wossmann, 2005. "The effect heterogeneity of central examinations: evidence from TIMSS, TIMSS-Repeat and PISA," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 143-169.
    6. Entorf, Horst & Lauk, Martina, 2006. "Peer Effects, Social Multipliers and Migrants at School: An International Comparison," IZA Discussion Papers 2182, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Ludger Wößmann, 2005. "Leistungsfördernde Anreize für das Schulsystem," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 58(19), pages 18-27, October.
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    9. Steve Bradley & Rob Crouchley, 2020. "The effects of test scores and truancy on youth unemployment and inactivity: a simultaneous equations approach," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1799-1831, October.
    10. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani & Nadia Hassine & Ragui Assaad, 2014. "Equality of opportunity in educational achievement in the Middle East and North Africa," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 12(4), pages 489-515, December.
    11. Susana Faria & Maria Conceição Portela, 2016. "Student Performance in Mathematics using PISA-2009 data for Portugal," Working Papers de Gestão (Management Working Papers) 01, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
    12. Trevor Collier & Daniel Millimet, 2009. "Institutional arrangements in educational systems and student achievement: a cross-national analysis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 329-381, October.
    13. Assaad, Ragui & Hendy, Rana & Salehi-Isfahani, Djavad, 2019. "Inequality of opportunity in educational attainment in the Middle East and North Africa: Evidence from household surveys," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 24-43.
    14. Florian Birkenfeld & Shima'a Hanafy, 2008. "Was macht eine zentrale Abschlusspruefung aus?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0033, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    15. Elizabeth Cascio & Damon Clark & Nora Gordon, 2008. "Education and the Age Profile of Literacy into Adulthood," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 22(3), pages 47-70, Summer.
    16. Michael Fertig, 2004. "What Can We Learn From International Student Performance Studies? Some Methodological Remarks," RWI Discussion Papers 0023, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    17. Natalia Zinovyeva & Florentino Felgueroso & Pablo Vazquez Vega, 2008. "Immigration and Students' Achievement in Spain," Working Papers 2008-37, FEDEA.
    18. Robert Schwager, 2005. "PISA‐Schock und Hochschulmisere – Hat der deutsche Bildungsföderalismus versagt?," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 6(2), pages 189-205, May.
    19. Ciccone, Antonio & Garcia-Fontes, Walter, 2009. "The quality of the Catalan and Spanish education systems: A perspective from PISA," IESE Research Papers D/810, IESE Business School.
    20. Diaz-Serrano, Luis & Meix-Llop, Enric, 2012. "Do Fiscal and Political Decentralization Raise Students' Performance? A Cross-Country Analysis," IZA Discussion Papers 6722, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    21. Ammermüller, Andreas, 2005. "Educational Opportunities and the Role of Institutions," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-44, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    22. Orsetta Causa & Catherine Chapuis, 2009. "Equity in Student Achievement Across OECD Countries: An Investigation of the Role of Policies," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 708, OECD Publishing.
    23. Juliana Arias & Alejandro Torres, 2018. "Economic efficiency of public secondary education expenditure: How different are developed and developing countries?," Revista Desarrollo y Sociedad, Universidad de los Andes,Facultad de Economía, CEDE, vol. 80(4), pages 119-154, February.

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