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Managerial Practices and Student Performance: Evidence from Changes in School Principals

Author

Listed:
  • Di Liberto, Adriana

    (University of Cagliari)

  • Giua, Ludovica

    (University of Cagliari)

  • Schivardi, Fabiano

    (LUISS Guido Carli University)

  • Sideri, Marco

    (University of Cagliari)

  • Sulis, Giovanni

    (University of Cagliari)

Abstract

We study how managerial practices of school principals affect student performance and aspirations. We link administrative data on secondary Italian students to the management scores of their school principals in 2011 and 2015 based on the World Management Survey methodology. The frequent turnover of school principals over this period allows us to causally interpret school-fixed-effect estimates. We find that management quality positively and substantially impacts standardized math and language tests and student desire to attend college. The comparison to pooled-OLS suggests that fixed effects correct for the downward bias arising from selection of better school principals into more difficult schools.

Suggested Citation

  • Di Liberto, Adriana & Giua, Ludovica & Schivardi, Fabiano & Sideri, Marco & Sulis, Giovanni, 2023. "Managerial Practices and Student Performance: Evidence from Changes in School Principals," IZA Discussion Papers 16203, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16203
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    management; productivity; school principals; student outcomes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • M1 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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