This paper aims to investigate how stability varies with the approach used in estimating school performance in a large sample of English primary schools. The results show that (a) raw performance is considerably more stable than adjusted performance, which in turn is slightly more stable than growth model estimates; (b) schools' performance…

Regression-based adjustment of student outcomes for the assessment of the merit of schools is considered. First, the basics of causal modeling and multiple regression are briefly reviewed. Then, two common regression-based adjustment procedures are described, pointing out that the validity of the final assessments depends on: (1) the degree to…

Based on the Gaussian model, methods for using measurements that depend on the true attribute to compute rankings are proposed and compared. Measurements based on an empirical Bayes model produce estimates that differ from ranking observed data. Ranking methods are illustrated with school achievement data. (TJH)

This paper provides a concise summary of 10 years of research into defining appropriate statistical models for estimating school and teacher effect on student learning and other important educational outcomes. It discusses criteria for judging models and presents the formulae for the two-stage, two-level student-school hierarchical linear modeling…

After clarifying some of the problems in determining the effectiveness of schools, this study attempts to show how the impact of school resources on achievement can be measured. Several mathematical models are examined that provide quantitative information on the relationship between school resources and student achievement. The sample includes…

Compares secondary and junior schools' influence on (British) 16 year-olds' performance on the General Certificate in Secondary Education examination. Presents a mathematical model to explain performance variations, using a cohort of 758 students in 48 junior schools and 116 secondary schools. There is a strong continuity of junior school effects…

The use of complex value-added models that attempt to isolate the contributions of teachers or schools to student development is increasing. Several variations on these models are being applied in the research literature, and policy makers have expressed interest in using these models for evaluating teachers and schools. In this article, we…

In this paper, academic efficiency is operationally defined and a methodology for measuring it at the school level is described. Academic efficiency is defined as the extent to which a school utilizes its time for the academic development of all its students. The measure of academic efficiency must include three elements: time, students, and…

Three methods that can be used subsequent to a regression analysis to determine the relative effectiveness of schools are Dyer's Performance Indices, Scheffe's hyperbolic confidence bands, and Gafarian's linear confidence bands. These methods were applied to data from 54 hypothetical schools randomly generated from a multivariate normal…

Evaluates efficiency of a sample of Spanish secondary schools, focusing on the measurement model's theoretical specification and the "ex post" analysis of results. Highlights characteristics that differentiate the most efficient schools from the least efficient. Stresses the importance of employing information supplied by both…

Centering is a problem in multilevel analysis that needs to be addressed. Multilevel analysis gives researchers a choice between centering within context and grand mean centering, both statistically sound ways to improve estimation of the parameters in the model. Researchers of the most widely used software package for the analysis of…

This paper presents a fixed effects model on the impact of individual high schools on adult earnings. This model not only captures the effects on observed and unobserved characteristics of high school on earnings, but also can control for selection bias resulting from correlation between school quality and student ability. The principal data used…

Statistical models for school effectiveness rankings are assessed. An analysis of linear models with fixed regression parameters and models with separate regression parameters for each school is presented. In the first case, the regression lines are parallel and the ranking of the schools is the same for all student backgrounds. In the second…

A general longitudinal model is presented for estimating school effects and their stability. The model, capable of separating true changes from sampling and measurement error, controls statistically for effects of factors exogenous to the school system. The model is illustrated with data from large cohorts of students in Scotland. (SLD)

Summarizes results of a longitudinal study fitting multilevel models to three waves of data on literacy progress for three cohorts of Australian elementary students. Provides estimates of prior achievement and social background influences on student progress and examines effects of grouping practices and other classroom variables. Attentiveness…