On Educational Performance Measures

Alastair Muriel and Jeffrey Smith

No 5897, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Quantitative school performance measures (QPMs) are playing an ever larger role in education systems on both sides of the Atlantic. In this paper we outline the rationale for the use of such measures in education, review the literature relating to several important problems associated with their use, and argue that they nonetheless have a positive role to play in improving the educational quality. We delineate several institutional reforms which would help schools to respond "positively" to QPMs, emphasizing the importance of agents' flexibility to change the way they work, and the importance of a sound knowledge base regarding "what works" in raising attainment. We suggest that the present institutional setups in both England and the US too often hold schools accountable for outcomes over which they have little control – but that such problems are far from insurmountable.

Keywords: performance measures; education incentives; school quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H52 I2 I28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2011-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-hrm, nep-lab and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Published - published in: Fiscal Studies, 2011, 32(2), 187-206

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