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Central Exams and Adult Skills: Evidence from PIAAC

Author

Listed:
  • Lisa Leschnig
  • Guido Schwerdt
  • Katarina Zigova
Abstract
Central exams are often hypothesized to favorably affect incentive structures in schools. Indeed, previous research provides vast evidence on the positive effects of central exams on student test scores. But critics warn that these effects may arise through the strategic behavior of students and teachers, which may not affect human capital accumulation in the long run. Exploiting variation in examination types across school systems and over time, we provide the first evidence that central exams positively affect adult skills. However, our estimates are small compared to the existing estimates for students, which may indicate some fade-out in the effect on skills over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa Leschnig & Guido Schwerdt & Katarina Zigova, 2021. "Central Exams and Adult Skills: Evidence from PIAAC," CESifo Working Paper Series 8899, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_8899
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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    central exams; adult skills; earnings; PIAAC;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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