Explaining the Performance Gap Between Public and Private School Students

Kevin C. Duncan () and Jonathan Sandy
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Jonathan Sandy: University of San Diego

Eastern Economic Journal, 2007, vol. 33, issue 2, pages 177-191

Abstract: Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience for Youth are used to estimate the private school test score advantage. Regression results indicate that those who attend private schools score higher on the Armed Forces Qualifications Test. However, this advantage loses statistical significance with controls for family and school background. Decomposition of the private-public test score difference indicates that 78 percent of the gap can be explained by differences in average characteristics. Broken down further, 45 percent of the gap is due to differences in family background and 26 percent is due to differences in school quality.

Date: 2007
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