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Is School Value Added Indicative of Principal Quality?

Author

Listed:
  • Hanley Chiang

    (Mathematica Policy Research Cambridge, MA)

  • Stephen Lipscomb

    (Mathematica Policy Research Cambridge, MA)

  • Brian Gill

    (Mathematica Policy Research Cambridge, MA)

Abstract

States across the country are developing systems for evaluating school principals on the basis of student achievement growth. A common approach is to hold principals accountable for the value added of their schools—that is, schools’ contributions to student achievement growth. In theory, school value added can reflect not only principals’ effectiveness but also other school-specific influences on student achievement growth that are outside of principals’ control. In this paper, we isolate principals’ effects on student achievement growth and examine the extent to which school value added captures the effects that principals persistently demonstrate. Using longitudinal data on the math and reading outcomes of fourth- through eighth-grade students in Pennsylvania, our findings indicate that school value added provides very poor information for revealing principals’ persistent levels of effectiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Hanley Chiang & Stephen Lipscomb & Brian Gill, 2016. "Is School Value Added Indicative of Principal Quality?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 11(3), pages 283-309, Summer.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:11:y:2016:i:3:p:283-309
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    File URL: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/EDFP_a_00184
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Elizabeth Dhuey & Justin Smith, 2018. "How school principals influence student learning," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 851-882, March.
    2. Anand, Gautam & Atluri, Aishwarya & Crawfurd, Lee & Pugatch, Todd & Sheth, Ketki, 2023. "Improving school management in low and middle income countries: A systematic review," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    3. Bartanen, Brendan & Husain, Aliza N. & Liebowitz, David D., 2024. "Rethinking principal effects on student outcomes," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    4. Wills, Gabrielle, 2016. "Principal leadership changes and their consequences for school performance in South Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 108-124.
    5. Ingo E. Isphording & Ulf Zölitz, 2020. "The value of a peer," ECON - Working Papers 342, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    6. Brian Gill, 2022. "What Should The Future Of Educational Accountability Look Like?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(4), pages 1232-1239, September.
    7. Whitney Kozakowski & Brian Gill & Menbere Shiferaw, "undated". "Exploring the Potential Role of Staff Surveys in School Leader Evaluation," Mathematica Policy Research Reports fa18eaf8a4de4ee8a439e81a4, Mathematica Policy Research.
    8. Jason A. Grissom & Brendan Bartanen, 2019. "Principal Effectiveness and Principal Turnover," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 14(3), pages 355-382, Summer.
    9. Moira McCullough & Stephen Lipscomb & Hanley Chiang & Brian Gill, "undated". "Do Principals' Professional Practice Ratings Reflect Their Contributions to Student Achievement? Evidence from Pennsylvania's Framework for Leadership," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 23864abe140c4b658d1ba88d4, Mathematica Policy Research.
    10. Elias Walsh & Dallas Dotter, 2020. "The Impact on Student Achievement of Replacing Principals in District of Columbia Public Schools," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 15(3), pages 518-542, Summer.
    11. Bartanen, Brendan & Husain, Aliza N., 2022. "Connected networks in principal value-added models," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    12. Susanna Loeb & Michael S. Christian & Heather Hough & Robert H. Meyer & Andrew B. Rice & Martin R. West, 2019. "School Differences in Social–Emotional Learning Gains: Findings From the First Large-Scale Panel Survey of Students," Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, , vol. 44(5), pages 507-542, October.

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