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The Contributions of School Quality and Teacher Qualifications to Student Performance: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Beijing Middle Schools

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  • Fang Lai
  • Elisabeth Sadoulet
  • Alain de Janvry

Abstract

We use administrative data from the lottery-based open enrollment system in Beijing middle schools to obtain unbiased estimates of school fixed effects on student performance. To do this, we classify children in selection channels, with each channel representing a unique succession of lotteries through which a child was assigned to a school. Results show that school fixed effects are strong determinants of student performance. These fixed effects are shown to be highly correlated with teacher qualifications measured in particular by their official ranks. Teacher qualifications have about the same predictive power for student test scores as do school fixed effects.

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  • Fang Lai & Elisabeth Sadoulet & Alain de Janvry, 2011. "The Contributions of School Quality and Teacher Qualifications to Student Performance: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Beijing Middle Schools," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 46(1), pages 123-153.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:46:y:2011:i:1:p:123-153
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Dee, Thomas & Lan, Xiaohuan, 2015. "The achievement and course-taking effects of magnet schools: Regression-discontinuity evidence from urban China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 128-142.
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    5. Park, Albert & Shi, Xinzheng & Hsieh, Chang-tai & An, Xuehui, 2015. "Magnet high schools and academic performance in China: A regression discontinuity design," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 825-843.
    6. Figlio, D. & Karbownik, K. & Salvanes, K.G., 2016. "Education Research and Administrative Data," Handbook of the Economics of Education,, Elsevier.
    7. Yi Fan & Junjian Yi & Junsen Zhang, 2021. "Rising Intergenerational Income Persistence in China," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(1), pages 202-230, February.
    8. Zhang, Hongliang, 2016. "Identification of treatment effects under imperfect matching with an application to Chinese elite schools," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 56-82.
    9. Anderson, Kathryn & Gong, Xue & Hong, Kai & Zhang, Xi, 2016. "Do selective high schools improve student achievement? Effects of exam schools in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 121-134.
    10. Dustan, Andrew, 2018. "Family networks and school choice," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 372-391.
    11. Yuanyuan Chen & Shuaizhang Feng, 2017. "Quality of migrant schools in China: evidence from a longitudinal study in Shanghai," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 30(3), pages 1007-1034, July.
    12. Yu, Yewen & Fan, Yi & Yi, Junjian, 2020. "The One-Child Policy Amplifies Economic Inequality across Generations in China," IZA Discussion Papers 13617, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Zheng, Lei & Qi, Xiang & Zhang, Chongjiu, 2023. "Can improvements in teacher quality reduce the cognitive gap between urban and rural students in China?," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    14. Jiazhe Li & Philip Wing Keung Chan & Yongmei Hu, 2023. "The Effects of Principals’ Instructional Leadership on Primary School Students’ Academic Achievement in China: Evidence from Serial Multiple Mediating Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, February.
    15. Wang, Haining & Cheng, Zhiming & Smyth, Russell, 2018. "Do migrant students affect local students’ academic achievements in urban China?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 64-77.

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