Can school competition improve standards The case of faith.pptVIP

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN % FAITH SCHOOLS IN ANCIENT COUNTY AND INCREASE IN DISPERSION OF TEST SCORES FROM KS2 TO KS4 CONCLUSIONS No evidence that faith schools improve (or damage) area-wide academic achievement by encouraging competition for pupils Faith schools are associated with more stratified local schooling markets: Evidence of cream-skimming or parental choice strategies? Stratification lowers incentives to compete based on effort Apparent effectiveness of faith schools in regressions likely due to within-area sorting based on unobservables CAN SCHOOL COMPETITION IMPROVE STANDARDS? THE CASE OF FAITH SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND Rebecca Allen and Anna Vignoles Institute of Education, University of London Presentation to PLASC/NPD User Group 18th November 2008 MOTIVATION FOR PAPER Faith schools, choice, competition improve standards or sorting? Endogenity problem Inconclusive UK competition literature Claims of the effectiveness of faith school competition in US and Canada OUTLINE OF TALK Institutional background Choice and competition between the faith and non-faith sectors Estimation strategy and data Results – competition and pupil achievement Faith schools and pupil sorting INSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND Growth in faith schools I: churches were the main providers of 19th century education Growth in faith schools II: 1902 Education Act set up the ‘Dual System’ of state schooling, with mass building of schools by churches in 15 years following the Act to prevent state displacing church Growth in faith schools III: expansion in RC schools in 1950s/60s, taking advantage of government loan scheme Today, religious schools in the state-maintained system educate about 15 per cent of secondary aged children (two-thirds are Roman Catholic, most of rest are CofE) Almost all are Voluntary-Aided (VA) rather than Voluntary-Controlled (VC) WHO CAN FEASIBLY CHOOSE A FAITH SCHOOL? Typical admissions policy at a faith school prio