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Inefficient Education Spending in Public School Districts: A Case for Consolidation?

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  • Marvin E. Dodson
  • Thomas A. Garrett

Abstract

This article estimates scale economies for Arkansas school districts. Large economies of scale exist in teacher salary and supply costs, as well as total costs. The results suggest that districts, especially rural districts, would experience measurable cost savings from consolidation. The authors simulate a hypothetical rural school district consolidation to obtain cost‐saving estimates from consolidation. Simulations indicate that districts could save an average of 34% in average variable costs. At the state level, consolidation of rural districts in Arkansas could annually save $40 million. However, consolidation of school districts may increase various implicit costs to students and local communities. (JEL I22, I28)

Suggested Citation

  • Marvin E. Dodson & Thomas A. Garrett, 2004. "Inefficient Education Spending in Public School Districts: A Case for Consolidation?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 22(2), pages 270-280, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:coecpo:v:22:y:2004:i:2:p:270-280
    DOI: 10.1093/cep/byh019
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    Cited by:

    1. Pierre Pestieau, 2009. "Assessing The Performance Of The Public Sector," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 80(1), pages 133-161, March.
    2. Scorsone, Eric, 2007. "School District and Municipal Reorganization: Research Findings & Policy Proposals," Staff Paper Series 6543, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    3. Kelly Tiller & Paul Jakus, 2004. "Explaining Cooperation in Municipal Solid Waste Management," Working Papers 2004-07, Utah State University, Department of Economics.
    4. TANAKA Ryuichi & Eric WEESE, 2023. "Inefficiency in School Consolidation Decisions," Discussion papers 23002, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    5. Paul Langlois, 2010. "Municipal Visions, Market Realities: Does Planning Guide Residential Development?," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 37(3), pages 449-462, June.
    6. Christopher C. Klein, 2007. "Efficiency versus Effectiveness: Interpreting Education Production Studies," Working Papers 200703, Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Economics and Finance.
    7. Mustafa U. Karakaplan & Levent Kutlu, 2019. "School district consolidation policies: endogenous cost inefficiency and saving reversals," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 56(5), pages 1729-1768, May.
    8. Leach, John & Payne, A. Abigail & Chan, Steve, 2010. "The effects of school board consolidation and financing on student performance," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 1034-1046, December.
    9. Tiller, Kelly & Jakus, Paul M., 2005. "Applying the Miceli Model to Explain Cooperation in Municipal Solid Waste Management," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 34(2), pages 1-9, October.
    10. Timothy J. Gronberg & Dennis W. Jansen & Mustafa U. Karakaplan & Lori L. Taylor, 2015. "School district consolidation: Market concentration and the scale‐efficiency tradeoff," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 82(2), pages 580-597, October.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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