Economic approaches to school efficiency

Johnes, Geraint (2020) Economic approaches to school efficiency. In: The Economics of Education : A Comprehensive Overview. Academic Press, Amsterdam, pp. 479-489. ISBN 9780128153918

Abstract

This chapter draws upon a large body of literature on the evaluation of efficiency in education. Since the seminal work of Michael Farrell (1957), the literature on efficiency has followed two strands – a statistical, parametric approach and a non-parametric approach underpinned by linear programming. Both approaches have been extensively applied in the context of education, providing important insights about the production technology in this sector, including information about economies of scale and of scope. This literature, covering countries across the world, is surveyed, with an emphasis on recent developments.