A Quantitative Framework for Analyzing the Distributional Effects of Incentive Schemes

Hugh Macartney, Robert McMillan and Uros Petronijevic

Working Papers from University of Toronto, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper develops the first quantitative framework for analyzing distributional effects of incentive schemes in public education. The analysis is built around a hump-shaped effort function, estimated semi-parametrically using exogenous incentive variation and rich administrative data. We identify key primitives that rationalize this effort function by estimating a flexible teacher effort-choice model. Both the model and parameter estimates are necessary components in our counterfactual framework for tracing the effects of alternative accountability systems on the entire test score distribution, with effort adjusting endogenously. We find widespread schemes that set a fixed target for all students give rise to a steep performance-inequality tradeoff. Further, counterfactual incentive policies can outperform existing schemes for the same cost -- reducing the black-white test score gap by 7% (via student-specific bonuses), and lowering test-score inequality across students by 90% (via student-specific targets). Our quantitative approach opens up new possibilities for incentive design in practice.

Keywords: Incentives; Effort; Accountability Scheme; Education Production; Test Score Distribution; Inequality; Conditional Average Treatment Effect; Semi-Parametric; Counterfactual; Education Reform (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D82 I21 J33 M52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: Unknown pages
Date: 2021-05-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Working Paper: A Quantitative Framework for Analyzing the Distributional Effects of Incentive Schemes (2021)
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