A two-stage double-bootstrap data envelopment analysis of efficiency differences of New Zealand secondary schools

• Published in: Journal of productivity analysis Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 99 - 110
• Main Authors: Alexander, W. Robert J., Haug, Alfred A., Jaforullah, Mohammad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Spring Science+Business Media 01.10.2010; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accountability; Accounting/Auditing; Bootstrap method; Coeducation; Curricula; Data envelopment analysis; Econometrics; Economics; Economics and Finance; Education; Efficiency; Efficiency metrics; Funding; Microeconomics; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Politics; Private schools; Productivity; Quality; Rural schools; School systems; Secondary schools; Single sex education; Single sex schools; State schools; Studies; Teachers; Urban areas; Urban schools; New Zealand; Productivity; H52; Efficiency; Double boot-strapping; C15; School finance; C14; I22
• ISSN: 0895-562X; 1573-0441
• DOI: 10.1007/s11123-010-0173-3

We conduct a two-stage (DEA and regression) analysis of the efficiency of New Zealand secondary schools. Unlike previous applications of two-stage semiparametric modelling of the school "production process", we use Simar and Wilson's double bootstrap procedure, which permits valid inference in the presence of unknown serial correlation in the efficiency scores. We are therefore able to draw robust conclusions about a system that has undergone extensive reforms with respect to ideas high on the educational agenda such as decentralised school management and parental choice. Most importantly, we find that school type affects school efficiency and so too does teacher quality.