Analysis of complementary methodologies for the estimation of school value added

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

M. C. A. S. Portela (Author) Other; A. S. Camanho (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Journal of the Operational Research Society

Vol. 61 No. 7

Pages: 1122-1132

ISSN: 0160-5682

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 11 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 15 Citations

INSPEC

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Other engineering and technologies

CORDIS: Social sciences > Economics > Management studies

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-5CZ

DOI: 10.1057/jors.2009.85

Abstract (EN): This paper analyses the value added (VA) of a sample of Portuguese schools using two methodologies: data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the methodology used presently by the UK Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The VA estimates obtained by the two methods are substantially different. This reflects their different focus: DEA emphasizes on best-observed performance, whereas the DCSF method reveals average performance. The main advantage of the methodology used by the DCSF is its simplicity, although it confounds pupil effects with school effects in the estimation of school VA. In contrast, the DEA methodology can differentiate these effects, but the complexity may prevent its use in a systematic way. This paper shows that the two methods provide complementary information regarding the VA of schools, and their joint use can improve the understanding of the relative effectiveness of schools regarding the progress that pupils make between educational stages.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11