The first is between school selection
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 8:40 am
To give an example, there are two forms of selection that would bias my estimates. Students from more affluent households, or higher ability students, could select into schools that put a austria rcs data greater emphasis on academic achievement. Such schools could also pay teachers higher salaries. This would produce an upward bias in my estimates. Conversely, we might have a situation where schools that have a higher proportion of students from less affluent backgrounds, or with lower academic ability, might have to pay higher salaries to attract teachers. This would produce a downward bias. As discussed in my work published last year, headteachers in the state funded sector in England have complete autonomy in setting teacher pay and pay progression, meaning that between school selection could bias my estimates if I used actual wages.
The second form of bias is within school selection. More able students might be separated into different classes and taught by more able/higher paid teachers. Conversely, we might have a situation where less able students are separated into different classes that are taught by more able/higher paid teachers. This issue is mostly applicable to secondary education in England, as most secondary schools tend to sort students into classes by ability. So again, this would produce either an upward or downward bias depending on which teachers are selected to teach which students/abilities.
The second form of bias is within school selection. More able students might be separated into different classes and taught by more able/higher paid teachers. Conversely, we might have a situation where less able students are separated into different classes that are taught by more able/higher paid teachers. This issue is mostly applicable to secondary education in England, as most secondary schools tend to sort students into classes by ability. So again, this would produce either an upward or downward bias depending on which teachers are selected to teach which students/abilities.