World BankWednesday April 29, 2009

Paul E. Peterson - DiscussantHenry Lee Shattuck Professor of Government, Harvard University

DirectorHarvard Program on Education Policy and Governance

Heterogeneity in School Sector Heterogeneity in School Sector Effects on Effects on

Elementary Student Elementary Student

PerformancePerformance

Paul E. Peterson & Elena Llaudet Paul E. Peterson & Elena Llaudet Harvard UniversityHarvard University

2. Effects of Public and Private 2. Effects of Public and Private Schools on Elementary School Schools on Elementary School

StudentsStudents

Data from Early Childhood Data from Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey - Kindergarten Longitudinal Survey - Kindergarten Class of 1998-9 (ECLS-K), Class of 1998-9 (ECLS-K),

the first longitudinal study that the first longitudinal study that attempts to track the elementary attempts to track the elementary school experience of a nationally school experience of a nationally representative sample of studentsrepresentative sample of students

Track students from K to 5Track students from K to 5thth grade grade

MethodMethod

Propensity score matching of public Propensity score matching of public and private studentsand private students

Imputation of missing variables.Imputation of missing variables. Fifth grade outcomes, controlling for Fifth grade outcomes, controlling for

first grade performance and first grade performance and numerous background numerous background characteristics.characteristics.

Private SectorPrivate Sector

11.6 percent of all students (6 11.6 percent of all students (6 million)million)

DistributionDistribution Catholic: Catholic: 47 %47 % Evangelical Protestant: 15 Evangelical Protestant: 15 Lutheran: 4Lutheran: 4 Other Religious 16Other Religious 16 Nonsectarian 17 Nonsectarian 17

Average Expenditure per Average Expenditure per PupilPupil

Public SchoolPublic School $9,929$9,929 Private SchoolPrivate School $5,634$5,634

Average Teacher SalariesAverage Teacher Salaries Public SchoolPublic School about $43,000about $43,000 Private SchoolPrivate School less than $30,000less than $30,000

In 2003, according to information reported by U.S. Department of In 2003, according to information reported by U.S. Department of Education (2005b)Education (2005b)

In 2000, according to information reported by U.S. Department of In 2000, according to information reported by U.S. Department of Education (2005b)Education (2005b)

FindingsFindings

Overall, private school advantage in Overall, private school advantage in reading (0.05), not in mathreading (0.05), not in math

Larger private school advantage in Larger private school advantage in reading for low SES, low initial ability reading for low SES, low initial ability students (0.23 s. d.)students (0.23 s. d.) (One third of a years worth of learning, (One third of a years worth of learning,

approximately)approximately)

Private school advantage in reading Private school advantage in reading for minority students (0.18 s. d.)for minority students (0.18 s. d.)

Findings (cont.)Findings (cont.)

Public school advantage in math for Public school advantage in math for high SES, high initial ability students high SES, high initial ability students (0.13)(0.13)

Public school advantage in math for Public school advantage in math for white and Asian students (0.12)white and Asian students (0.12)

Charter school Charter school effectivenesseffectiveness

National observational studies—national National observational studies—national sample, but few if any control variablessample, but few if any control variables

do not track student gains.do not track student gains.

Randomized field trialsRandomized field trials

excellent quality, few excellent quality, few unrepresentative schoolsunrepresentative schools

Student fixed effectsStudent fixed effects

reasonable quality, only certain reasonable quality, only certain placesplaces

Estimated Test Score Effect of Attending Estimated Test Score Effect of Attending New York City’s Charter Schools, Per Year New York City’s Charter Schools, Per Year

of Attendance, on Average studentof Attendance, on Average student

MathMath ReadingReadingmalemale femalefemale malemale femalefemale.09.09 .09.09 .03.03 .05.05

MathMath ReadingReading

blackblackHispanHispan

icic blackblackHispanHispan

icic.09.09 .08.08 .04.04 .03.03

Less Positive Evidence from Less Positive Evidence from

North CarolinaNorth CarolinaEffect of Charter Attendance on Test-Score Gains of Students Who

Were Observed Entering Charter School

-0.13

-0.21

-0.07-0.11

-0.02 -0.01

-0.06-0.09

0.030.00

-0.11

-0.16

0.00

-0.01

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0.0

0.1

Sta

nd

ard

dev

iati

on

s

One year Two years Three years Four years

Age of School

School choice research can’t School choice research can’t tell us what we really want to tell us what we really want to

know:know:

What happens in the long What happens in the long run, after parents have had run, after parents have had choice for many years and choice for many years and

schools systems have schools systems have evolved in response to evolved in response to

parental choice.parental choice.

But, now, we have research that tells us exactly that:

4. Long-Term Effects of 4. Long-Term Effects of School Choice: Data from 29 School Choice: Data from 29 CountriesCountries

Study by Martin R. WestStudy by Martin R. West

and Ludger Woessmannand Ludger Woessmann

Comes from 29 countries. Some have Comes from 29 countries. Some have lots of parental choice, some a littlelots of parental choice, some a little

Student performance in math, science Student performance in math, science and reading at age 15 is measured and reading at age 15 is measured by the PISA 2003, collected by the by the PISA 2003, collected by the Organization of Economic Co-Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), operation and Development (OECD), an official international agency.an official international agency.

Do countries that have more Do countries that have more school choice have higher school choice have higher

student performance?student performance?

School choice is measured School choice is measured by the percentage of by the percentage of

students attending private students attending private schools.schools.

Private Share of School Private Share of School EnrollmentEnrollment

A LOTA LOT SOMESOME A LITTLE / NONEA LITTLE / NONE

CountryCountry Share Share (%)(%)

CountryCountry Share Share (%)(%)

CountryCountry Share Share (%)(%)

NetherlaNetherlandsnds

7777 MexicoMexico 1616 ItalyItaly 55

BelgiumBelgium 6969 LuxembourgLuxembourg 1414 New New ZealandZealand

55

IrelandIreland 6161 Slovak Slovak RepublicRepublic

1212 GreeceGreece 44

KoreaKorea 5656 HungaryHungary 1111 SwedenSweden 44

AustraliaAustralia 3838 AustriaAustria 88 TurkeyTurkey 33

SpainSpain 3838 GermanyGermany 88 NorwayNorway 11

JapanJapan 2727 CanadaCanada 77 PolandPoland 11

DenmarkDenmark 2222 Czech Czech RepublicRepublic

77 IcelandIceland 00

FinlandFinland 77

PortugalPortugal 66

SwitzerlandSwitzerland 66

United United KingdomKingdom

66

United United StatesStates

66

Math Test ScoresMath Test ScoresWELL ABOVEWELL ABOVE AVERAGEAVERAGE BELOWBELOW

CountryCountry ScoreScore CountryCountry ScoreScore CountryCountry ScoreScore

FinlandFinland 544544 AustraliaAustralia 524524 Slovak Slovak RepublicRepublic

499499

KoreaKorea 541541 New ZealandNew Zealand 524524 NorwayNorway 495495

NetherlaNetherlandsnds

538538 Czech Czech RepublicRepublic

516516 LuxembourLuxembourgg

493493

JapanJapan 534534 IcelandIceland 515515 HungaryHungary 490490

CanadaCanada 533533 DenmarkDenmark 514514 PolandPoland 490490

BelgiumBelgium 529529 SwedenSweden 510510 SpainSpain 486486

SwitzerlaSwitzerlandnd

526526 United United KingdomKingdom

508508 United United StatesStates

483483

AustriaAustria 505505 PortugalPortugal 466466

IrelandIreland 503503 ItalyItaly 466466

GermanyGermany 503503 GreeceGreece 445445

TurkeyTurkey 424424

MexicoMexico 385385

Government Funding of Government Funding of Private Schools*Private Schools*

More than 80%More than 80% 50 to 79 %50 to 79 % Less than 50%Less than 50%

CountryCountry PercentPercentageage

CountryCountry PercentaPercentagege

CountryCountry PercentPercentageage

SwedenSweden 9999 GermanyGermany 7878 IrelandIreland 4545

FinlandFinland 9898 HungaryHungary 7878 PolandPoland 3535

NetherlanNetherlandsds

9696 DenmarkDenmark 7676 JapanJapan 3333

Slovak Slovak RepublicRepublic

9494 SpainSpain 6767 SwitzerlaSwitzerlandnd

2222

IcelandIceland 9090 PortugalPortugal 6464 New New ZealandZealand

1515

LuxembouLuxembourgrg

8989 Czech Czech RepublicRepublic

6363 ItalyItaly 1414

NorwayNorway 8888 KoreaKorea 5555 U.K.U.K. 1313

BelgiumBelgium 8585 CanadaCanada 5454 United United StatesStates

22

MexicoMexico 11

GreeceGreece 00

TurkeyTurkey 00

*Note: Data unavailable for Australia and *Note: Data unavailable for Australia and AustriaAustria

Impact of Country’s Private Impact of Country’s Private Share on…Share on…

126points

71points 56

points

Math Science Reading

The effect of aThe effect of a10-percentage-point10-percentage-pointincrease in the share of increase in the share of enrollment in private enrollment in private school is equivalent toschool is equivalent to

41 percent41 percentof a year’s worth of learning of a year’s worth of learning

in high school.in high school.

Impact of Country’sImpact of Country’sPrivate Share onPrivate Share onMath Scores ofMath Scores of

Students in Public SchoolStudents in Public Schoolisis

66 points66 points..

Impact of Country’sImpact of Country’sPrivate Share onPrivate Share on

Per Pupil Expenditure isPer Pupil Expenditure isto reduce it byto reduce it by5.6 percent5.6 percent..