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Public education, accountability, and yardstick competition in a federal system

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  • Mandel, Philipp
  • Süßmuth, Bernd

Abstract

Against the backdrop of a growing national and international accountability movement in education outcomes, this study sets up a simple model of yardstick competition with incumbent-disciplining effects through voters comparing performance measures of public education both across nations and federal states. It implies a potential strategic dilemma where a single top-performance state can block reform measures that could benefit low-performance states more than would do for itself. The linchpin predictions of the model are tested by analyzing announcement effects of student achievement tests on vote and popularity (VP) functions of German national and state government incumbents.

Suggested Citation

  • Mandel, Philipp & Süßmuth, Bernd, 2015. "Public education, accountability, and yardstick competition in a federal system," Working Papers 138, University of Leipzig, Faculty of Economics and Management Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:leiwps:138
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    yardstick competition; public education; VP-functions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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