Are Private Schools More Effective Than Public Schools in Improving Student Math Achievement?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: School Choice in International Contexts

Abstract

One of the most contentious policy areas in the United States is whether private schools are more effective in increasing student achievement. This article reexamines this debate by drawing data from the 1995 Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Using the student random assignment policy implemented in South Korea during the mid-1990s, the authors investigate the causal effects of private schools on student math achievement. The authors did not find evidence supporting that private schools generate better student math performance.

Author

• Young Ran Kim, Michigan State University