IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wvu/wpaper/15-29.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Nonpublic Competition and Public School Performance: Evidence from West Virginia

Author

Listed:
  • Richard J. Cebula

    (Jacksonville University, Davis College of Business)

  • Joshua C. Hall

    (West Virginia University, Department of Economics)

  • Maria Y. Tackett

    (West Virginia University, Department of Economics)

Abstract

In this study, we investigate whether nonpublic school enrollment affects the performance of public school districts. If homeschooling and private schools act as competition, public school districts test scores should be positively associated with nonpublic enrollment. Using data on West Virginia county school districts, and controlling for endogeneity with an instrumental variables approach, we find that a one standard deviation increase in relative nonpublic enrollment in a county is associated with statistically significant increases in public school district test scores. Our findings thus confirm that nonpublic enrollment and the competition it provides act to improve, rather than impede, public school performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard J. Cebula & Joshua C. Hall & Maria Y. Tackett, 2015. "Nonpublic Competition and Public School Performance: Evidence from West Virginia," Working Papers 15-29, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
  • Handle: RePEc:wvu:wpaper:15-29
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://busecon.wvu.edu/phd_economics/pdf/15-29.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Akin & Michael Lea, 1982. "Microdata estimation of school expenditure levels: An alternative to the median voter approach," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 113-128, January.
    2. Marlow, Michael L & Orzechowski, William, 1996. "Public Sector Unions and Public Spending," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 89(1-2), pages 1-16, October.
    3. Randall Holcombe & Lawrence Kenny, 2008. "Does restricting choice in referenda enable governments to spend more?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 136(1), pages 87-101, July.
    4. Joshua Hall, 2016. "Investment in Education: Private and Public Returns," Working Papers 16-05, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    5. Couch, Jim F & Shughart, William F, II & Williams, Al L, 1993. "Private School Enrollment and Public School Performance," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 76(4), pages 301-312, August.
    6. Arthur Denzau & Kevin Grier, 1984. "Determinants of local school spending: Some consistent estimates," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 375-383, January.
    7. Richard Cebula & Franklin Mixon & Mark Montez, 2015. "Teachers’ salaries and human capital, and their effects on academic performance: an institution-level analysis of Los Angeles County high schools," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 39(2), pages 347-356, April.
    8. Eric R Eide & Mark H Showalter, 2012. "Sleep and Student Achievement," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 38(4), pages 512-524.
    9. Carattini, Juliana F. & Dills, Angela K. & Mulholland, Sean E. & Sederberg, Rachel B., 2012. "Catholic schools, competition, and public school quality," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(1), pages 334-336.
    10. Michela Ponzo, 2011. "The effects of school competition on the achievement of Italian students," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 53-61, January.
    11. Joshua Hall, 2007. "Local School Finance and Productive Efficiency: Evidence from Ohio," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 35(3), pages 289-301, September.
    12. Caroline M. Hoxby, 2000. "Does Competition among Public Schools Benefit Students and Taxpayers?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1209-1238, December.
    13. Joshua C. Hall & Peter T. Leeson, 2010. "Racial Fractionalization and School Performance," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(2), pages 736-758, April.
    14. Randall Holcombe & Lawrence Kenny, 2007. "Evidence on voter preferences from unrestricted choice referendums," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 131(1), pages 197-215, April.
    15. Cohen-Zada, D., 2009. "An alternative instrument for private school competition," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 29-37, February.
    16. Richard Vedder & Joshua Hall, 2000. "Private School Competition and Public School Teacher Salaries," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 21(1), pages 162-168, January.
    17. Caroline Minter Hoxby, 1994. "Do Private Schools Provide Competition for Public Schools?," NBER Working Papers 4978, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Burnell, Barbara S, 1991. "The Effect of School District Structure on Education Spending," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 69(3), pages 253-264, March.
    19. William Sander, 1999. "Private Schools and Public School Achievement," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 34(4), pages 697-709.
    20. Aaberge, Rolf & Langorgen, Audun, 2003. "Fiscal and Spending Behavior of Local Governments: Identification of Price Effects When Prices Are Not Observed," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 117(1-2), pages 125-161, October.
    21. Richard Cebula, 1977. "An analysis of migration patterns and local government policy toward public education in the United States," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 113-121, December.
    22. Misra, Kaustav & Grimes, Paul W. & Rogers, Kevin E., 2012. "Does competition improve public school efficiency? A spatial analysis," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 1177-1190.
    23. Thapa, Amrit, 2013. "Does private school competition improve public school performance? The case of Nepal," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 358-366.
    24. Marilyn Flowers, 1975. "The possibility of double-peaked preference rankings for public school expenditures," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 81-85, September.
    25. Michael Marlow, 2010. "The influence of private school enrollment on public school performance," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(1), pages 11-22.
    26. Anderson, Gary M. & Shughart, William II & Tollison, Robert D., 1991. "Educational achievement and the cost of bureaucracy," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 29-45, January.
    27. Christopher R. Geller & David L. Sjoquist & Mary Beth Walker, 2006. "The Effect of Private School Competition on Public School Performance in Georgia," Public Finance Review, , vol. 34(1), pages 4-32, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. López-Torres, Laura & Johnes, Jill & Elliott, Caroline & Polo, Cristina, 2021. "The effects of competition and collaboration on efficiency in the UK independent school sector," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 40-53.
    2. Thapa, Amrit, 2013. "Does private school competition improve public school performance? The case of Nepal," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 358-366.
    3. Jepsen, Christopher, 2002. "The role of aggregation in estimating the effects of private school competition on student achievement," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 477-500, November.
    4. Will Dobbie & Roland G. Fryer Jr., 2013. "Getting beneath the Veil of Effective Schools: Evidence from New York City," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 28-60, October.
    5. Millimet, Daniel L. & Rangaprasad, Vasudha, 2007. "Strategic competition amongst public schools," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 199-219, March.
    6. Filer, Randall K. & Münich, Daniel, 2013. "Responses of private and public schools to voucher funding," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 269-285.
    7. Hall, Joshua C., 2015. "Local Government Border Congruence and the Fiscal Commons: Evidence from Ohio School Districts," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 45(2).
    8. Christopher R. Geller & David L. Sjoquist & Mary Beth Walker, 2006. "The Effect of Private School Competition on Public School Performance in Georgia," Public Finance Review, , vol. 34(1), pages 4-32, January.
    9. Sandstrom, F. Mikael & Bergstrom, Fredrik, 2005. "School vouchers in practice: competition will not hurt you," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(2-3), pages 351-380, February.
    10. Misra, Kaustav & Grimes, Paul W. & Rogers, Kevin E., 2012. "Does competition improve public school efficiency? A spatial analysis," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 1177-1190.
    11. Waldo, Staffan, 2006. "School Vouchers and Public School Productivity - The Case of the Swedish Large Scale Voucher Program," Working Papers 2006:8, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    12. Oliver Himmler, 2009. "The Effects of School Competition on Academic Achievement and Grading Standards," CESifo Working Paper Series 2676, CESifo.
    13. Garcia-Diaz, Rocio & del Castillo, Ernesto & Cabral, René, 2016. "School competition and efficiency in elementary schools in Mexico," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 23-34.
    14. Pablo González, 2002. "Lecciones de la investigación económica sobre el rol del sector privado en educación," Documentos de Trabajo 117, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile.
    15. Josse Delfgaauw & Robert Dur, 2008. "Incentives and Workers' Motivation in the Public Sector," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(525), pages 171-191, January.
    16. David Card & Martin D. Dooley & A. Abigail Payne, 2010. "School Competition and Efficiency with Publicly Funded Catholic Schools," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 150-176, October.
    17. Ahlin, Åsa, 2003. "Does School Competition Matter? Effects of a Large-Scale School Choice Reform on Student Performance," Working Paper Series 2003:2, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    18. Ricardo Paredes & Matías Fresard, 2018. "Voucher y cierre de escuelas en Chile," Estudios Públicos, Centro de Estudios Públicos, vol. 0(151), pages 7-27.
    19. Rómulo A. Chumacero & Juan Gallegos Mardones & Ricardo D. Paredes, 2016. "Competition Pressures and Academic Performance in Chile," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 43(2 Year 20), pages 217-232, December.
    20. Waldo, Staffan, 2006. "Competition and Public School Efficiency in Sweden," Working Papers 2006:7, Lund University, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    competition; markets; education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wvu:wpaper:15-29. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Feng Yao (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/dewvuus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.