Educational Achievement and the Allocation of School Resources

39 Pages Posted: 23 Aug 2013 Last revised: 16 Apr 2023

See all articles by Deborah A. Cobb-Clark

Deborah A. Cobb-Clark

School of Economics, University of Sydney; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Nikhil Jha

Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research

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Abstract

The school resources – educational outcomes debate has focused almost exclusively on spending levels. We extend this by analysing the relationship between student achievement and schools' budget allocation decisions using panel data. Per-pupil expenditure has only a modest relationship with improvement in students' standardised test scores. However, budget allocation across spending categories matters for student achievement, particularly in grade 7. Ancillary teaching staff seems especially important in primary- and middle-school years. Spending on school leadership – primarily principals – is also linked to faster growth in literacy levels in these grades. On the whole, schools' spending patterns are broadly efficient.

Keywords: educational achievement, test scores, school resource allocation

JEL Classification: I21, I22, I28

Suggested Citation

Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. and Jha, Nikhil, Educational Achievement and the Allocation of School Resources. IZA Discussion Paper No. 7551, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2314846 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2314846

Deborah A. Cobb-Clark (Contact Author)

School of Economics, University of Sydney ( email )

606 Social Sciences Bldg. (A02)
The University of Sydney
Sydney, NSW 2006
Australia
61435061387 (Phone)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Nikhil Jha

Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research ( email )

Level 5, FBE Building, 111 Barry Street
161 Barry Street
Carlton, VIC 3053
Australia

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