School of golden touch? A study of school effectiveness in improving student academic performance

• Main Authors: Guihua Xie, Yangyang Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2020-05-01
• Series: The Journal of Chinese Sociology
• Subjects: School processing ability; Value-added student academic performance; School socioeconomic status; Student academic level at enrollment
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40711-020-00118-7

Abstract This paper explores whether different schools exhibit varying levels of effectiveness in improving student academic performance and, if so, which factors might affect school effectiveness. Using data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), this research examines the influence of various school features on dynamic changes in middle school student academic performance. It finds that schools of higher socioeconomic status, with more academically proficient students and with more complete school facilities, are more effective in improving students’ academic performance. Meanwhile, the work shows that local community school rankings, the average quality of school teachers, and academically related practices do not have a significant impact on a school’s effectiveness. In summary, this research extends previous studies on student education attainment from a focus on student performance to a focus on changes in performance. It illustrates the essential roles played by the capacities of enrolled students and of individual/aggregated family socioeconomic status in improving student academic performance.