How does testing young children influence educational attainment and well-being?

Colin Green (), Ole Henning Nyhus and Kari Vea Salvanes ()
Additional contact information
Kari Vea Salvanes: Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation

No 23-01, CEPEO Working Paper Series from UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities

Abstract: Should young children be tested? Proponents view early testing as a necessary instrument for early targeting. Others consider it detrimental to child mental health and with little impact on educational performance. We exploit variation in test-taking in mathematics among primary school children in Norway, traditionally a low-testing environment. We examine both the introduction of difficult mathematics tests and simpler screening tests that were aimed at identifying children in need of assistance. We demonstrate zero effects of testing exposure on later attainment but some benefits from screening tests for low-performing students. There are no negative effects on student welfare, but testing appears to improve aspects of teaching practices, feedback and engagement.

Keywords: student assessment; testing; student achievement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I24 I28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 37 pages
Date: 2023-01, Revised 2023-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu and nep-ure
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https://repec-cepeo.ucl.ac.uk/cepeow/cepeowp23-01.pdf First version, 2023 (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: How Does Testing Young Children Influence Educational Attainment and Well-Being? (2022)
Working Paper: How does testing young children influence educational attainment and well-being?
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