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Competition and the performance of english secondary schools: further evidence

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  • Rosalind Levacic

Abstract

Both advocates of competition as a means to better school performance and economics-based research on this issue assume a direct relationship between a more competitive market structure (in terms of the number and concentration of schools in a local market) and better school performance. This is an application to schools of the structure-conduct-performance model. It is assumed that head teachers and other professionals are motivated solely by self-interest, so that lack of competition results in x-inefficiency. However, if educational professionals are motivated by other considerations, in particular their values and beliefs, there is no automatic link between competitive structure and forms of competitive conduct that lead to better school performance. Since it is competitive conduct that affects school performance, the hypothesis of a postitive relationship between competition and performance is investigated in this study by collecting and analysing data on perceptions of competitive conduct from a survey of headteachers. An analysis of these data combined with administrative data finds that: the two measures of perceived competition are only weakly related to measures of structural competition; the number of perceived competitors is positively and significantly related to school performance in terms of the percentage of students obtaining 5 or more grades A* to C at GCSE but not the percentage obtaining 5 + A*-G grades.

Suggested Citation

  • Rosalind Levacic, 2004. "Competition and the performance of english secondary schools: further evidence," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 177-193.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:12:y:2004:i:2:p:177-193
    DOI: 10.1080/0964529042000239186
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Borland, Melvin V. & Howsen, Roy M, 1992. "Student academic achievement and the degree of market concentration in education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 31-39, March.
    2. Feinstein, Leon & Symons, James, 1999. "Attainment in Secondary School," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 51(2), pages 300-321, April.
    3. Bradley, Steve & Johnes, Geraint & Millington, Jim, 2001. "The effect of competition on the efficiency of secondary schools in England," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(3), pages 545-568, December.
    4. Bradley, Steve & Taylor, Jim, 2002. "The Effect of the Quasi-market on the Efficiency-Equity Trade-Off in the Secondary School Sector," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 295-314, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ludger Wößmann, 2006. "Bildungspolitische Lehren aus den internationalen Schülertests: Wettbewerb, Autonomie und externe Leistungsüberprüfung," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 7(3), pages 417-444, August.
    2. Stephen Gibbons & Stephen Machin & Olmo Silva, 2008. "Choice, Competition, and Pupil Achievement," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 6(4), pages 912-947, June.
    3. Ludger Wößmann, 2008. "Efficiency and equity of European education and training policies," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 15(2), pages 199-230, April.
    4. Ludger Wößmann, 2005. "Leistungsfördernde Anreize für das Schulsystem," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 58(19), pages 18-27, October.
    5. Rebecca Allen & Anna Vignoles, 2016. "Can school competition improve standards? The case of faith schools in England," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 959-973, May.
    6. Stephen Machin & Olmo Silva, 2013. "School Structure, School Autonomy and the Tail," CEP Reports 29, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    7. Ludger Woessmann, 2006. "Public-Private Partnership and Schooling Outcomes across Countries," CESifo Working Paper Series 1662, CESifo.
    8. Ludger Wößmann, 2004. "Institutional Comparisons in Educational Production," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 2(4), pages 03-06, 01.

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