Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP16471
Authors: Facundo Albornoz; David Contreras; Richard Upward
Abstract: We explore the effectiveness of repeating the student-teacher match on test scores, for the universe of 8th graders in Chile using information on all student-teacher matches across multiple subjects and years, and a national, anonymous measure of test scores. Also, we exploit a plausibly exogenous source of variation in the process of repeating matches generated by a discontinuity in teacher retention at the legal retirement age. Repeating matches has a robust positive effect on test scores which aggregates up to the student, class, and school-level. As channels, we report a positive effect on attendance, progression, student behaviour and teacher expectations.
Keywords: student-teacher matches; student achievement; looping
JEL Codes: I20; I21; I28
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| repeating the student-teacher match (C78) | test scores (C52) |
| teacher reaches retirement age (LRA) (J26) | likelihood of repeating matches (C52) |
| improving teacher quality (A21) | test scores (C52) |
| repeating the student-teacher match (C78) | attendance (I29) |
| repeating the student-teacher match (C78) | progression (O41) |
| repeating the student-teacher match (C78) | student behavior (C92) |
| repeating the student-teacher match (C78) | teacher expectations (A21) |
| likelihood of repeating matches (C52) | test scores (C52) |