The Econometrics and Economics of Education
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Authors
Penney, Jeffrey
Date
2015-07-07
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
education , racial gaps , test scores
Alternative Title
Abstract
This thesis contains three essays spanning the fields of econometrics and the economics of education. The first is a methodological essay wherein I propose a solution to the test score measurement problem. Test scores that measure the same skill or trait are often scaled differently. I propose a statistical methodology to express test scores in a standard format to make them comparable across different tests. While other methods to standardize scores exist, the method I develop avoids several statistical pitfalls that commonly befall other procedures. The second chapter is an applied paper examining the question of whether academic achievement increases when students are the same race as their teacher. I pay particular attention to the effects of same-race teachers on academic achievement in both the short and medium run. Using a model that takes into account past school inputs, I find positive effects of racial matching on student achievement; moreover, these benefits persist with time. The third is a methodological piece that develops a technique to answer the question of whether one can be confident that a statistical estimate of something such as a mean or a regression parameter estimate lies between two points. The procedure has desirable statistical properties, and is ideally suited for use when testing for the existence of zero or near-zero effects.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-06 17:52:10.206
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.