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Long-Term Effects of Class Size

Author

Listed:
  • Fredriksson, Peter

    (Uppsala University)

  • Öckert, Björn

    (IFAU)

  • Oosterbeek, Hessel

    (University of Amsterdam)

Abstract

This paper evaluates the long-term effects of class size in primary school. We use rich administrative data from Sweden and exploit variation in class size created by a maximum class size rule. Smaller classes in the last three years of primary school (age 10 to 13) are not only beneficial for cognitive test scores at age 13 but also for non-cognitive scores at that age, for cognitive test scores at ages 16 and 18, and for completed education and wages at age 27 to 42. The estimated effect on wages is much larger than any indirect (imputed) estimate of the wage effect, and is large enough to pass a cost-benefit test.

Suggested Citation

  • Fredriksson, Peter & Öckert, Björn & Oosterbeek, Hessel, 2011. "Long-Term Effects of Class Size," IZA Discussion Papers 5879, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5879
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cognitive skills; non-cognitive skills; educational attainment; regression discontinuity; class size; earnings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models

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