CHE Seminar Series: Who benefits and loses from making top schools less selective? Evidence from an admissions policy change that greatly altered student composition in Indonesian schools
We study impacts of changing the primary admission criterion for public junior secondary schools from an exam score ranking to a proximity ranking in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This expanded lower-scoring students’ access to top public schools and displaced higher-scoring students to lower-quality private schools. We identify students whose access changed or stayed the same and compare test score value-added before and after the policy change. Average learning slightly decreased. Displaced students saw the largest decline. Newly admitted students saw modest benefits, while their incumbent peers learned less. Overall, school integration decreased learning inequality, mostly at the expense of higher-achieving students.
Speaker profile
Daniel C. Suryadarma conducts applied economics research in the areas of human development, poverty, and social policy in low and middle-income countries. He implements policy trials and analyses with government and non-government partners. His current research spans Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Pacific Island Countries. His research has appeared in high-impact economics journals, including American Economic Journal: Applied Economics and Journal of Development Economics. He has been interviewed by the Economist and Australian Financial Review.
Weekly seminar series
As part of our Centre's vibrant research culture, we host a weekly seminar series. Visiting and invited researchers present current research relating to the economics of health and wellbeing, and the healthcare sector. Visitors are welcome to join these sessions where discussion and debate is encouraged.
For further information on our seminar series, please contact Trong-Anh.Trinh@monash.edu.
Event Details
- Date:
- 28 August 2024 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
- Venue:
- Caulfield campus, Building K, Level 2, Room K201
- Categories:
- Alumni; CHE Seminar; General
Description
We study impacts of changing the primary admission criterion for public junior secondary schools from an exam score ranking to a proximity ranking in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This expanded lower-scoring students’ access to top public schools and displaced higher-scoring students to lower-quality private schools. We identify students whose access changed or stayed the same and compare test score value-added before and after the policy change. Average learning slightly decreased. Displaced students saw the largest decline. Newly admitted students saw modest benefits, while their incumbent peers learned less. Overall, school integration decreased learning inequality, mostly at the expense of higher-achieving students.
Speaker profile
Daniel C. Suryadarma conducts applied economics research in the areas of human development, poverty, and social policy in low and middle-income countries. He implements policy trials and analyses with government and non-government partners. His current research spans Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Pacific Island Countries. His research has appeared in high-impact economics journals, including American Economic Journal: Applied Economics and Journal of Development Economics. He has been interviewed by the Economist and Australian Financial Review.
Weekly seminar series
As part of our Centre's vibrant research culture, we host a weekly seminar series. Visiting and invited researchers present current research relating to the economics of health and wellbeing, and the healthcare sector. Visitors are welcome to join these sessions where discussion and debate is encouraged.
For further information on our seminar series, please contact Trong-Anh.Trinh@monash.edu.