School Choice and Competition in England: An Empirical Analysis Using Boundary Discontinuities

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IZA Seminar

Place: Schaumburg-Lippe-Str. 9, 53113 Bonn

Date: 14.02.2006, 12:15 - 13:30

   

Presentation by 

Olmo Silva (London School of Economics)
   

Abstract:

Advocates of market-based reforms in the public sector argue that competition between
providers drives up performance. But in the context of schooling, the concern is that any
improvements in efficiency may come at the cost of increased stratification of schools along
lines of pupil ability and attainments. In this chapter, we discuss our empirical work on
competition and parental choice in English primary schools and present a methodology for
identifying competition effects that exploits discontinuities in market access close to education
district boundaries.

   
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