The Role of Schools in Reducing the Variance of Cognitive Skills

Abstract

Recent studies have concluded that schools have little impact on pupil achievement. By focusing on changes in the distribution of cognitive skills over time, measured by achievement test scores, this study concludes that schools do make a significant contribution to achievement through reduction of the variance in the distribution of cognitive skills over time. Significant reductions in the variances of comparable test score distributions over time are found. While there is a positive relationship between a father's education and his child's achievement, there is no relationship between father's education and the rate at which a child learns.