What’s the big idea? There is a large literature that estimates the empirical association between education physical “inputs” (like class size, teacher qualifications, textbook availability, school infrastructure, learning materials) or budgets (expenditures per pupil) with some background economic “theory” like simple producer theory that there is a technologically determined “production function” that relates these inputs and learning outputs. I argue that, especially in the context of public sector systems, this is mostly wrong-headed as the producer theory does not apply–no one is choosing inputs and their application to maximize learning. Moreover, the “thin inputs” of the type that are typically measured do not capture the “thick” reality of teaching and learning so “thin inputs” don’t capture performance even for the private sector.
“Value Subtraction in Public Sector Production: Accounting Versus Economic Cost of Primary Schooling in India.” 2014. Center for Global Development Working Paper 391. (with Yamini Aiyar)
“Towards a New Consensus for Addressing the Global Challenge of the Lack of Education.” in Global Crises, Global Solutions, Cambridge University Press. Bjørn Lomborg, ed., 2004.
“What Education Production Functions Really Show: A Positive Model of the Allocation of Educational Expenditures.” Economics of Education Review, March 1999. (with Deon Filmer).
“Education: Alternative Perspective.” 2013. in Global Problems, Smart Solutions: Costs and Benefits. Bjørn Lomborg, ed., 2013.