What Accounts for International Differences in Student Performance? : A Re-Examination Using PISA Data

Arbeitspapier

We use the PISA student-level achievement database to estimate international education production functions. Student characteristics, family backgrounds, home inputs, resources, teachers and institutions are all significantly related to math, science and reading achievement. Our models account for more than 85% of the between-country performance variation, with roughly 25% accruing to institutional variation. Student performance is higher with external exams and budget formulation, but also with school autonomy in textbook choice, hiring teachers and within-school budget allocations. School autonomy is more beneficial in systems with external exit exams. Students perform better in privately operated schools, but private funding is not decisive.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 1287

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity ; Education: Government Policy ; Comparison of Public and Private Enterprises and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out ; National Government Expenditures and Education
• Subject: education production function ; PISA ; international variation in student performance ; institutional effects in schooling ; Bildungsniveau ; Bildungsökonomik ; Bildungspolitik ; Institutionalismus ; Vergleich ; Schätzung ; Welt ; PISA

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Fuchs, Thomas ; Woessmann, Ludger
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2004

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/20553
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET