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09/19/2022

New article on the effects of central exams on adult skills by Lisa Leschniga, Guido Schwerdt & Katarina Zigova appeared

Based on data from the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) L. Leschniga, G. Schwerdt, and K. Zigova study the relationship between the type of exit examination at the end of secondary school and the cognitive skills of adults, as well as labor market outcomes in a panel framework.

Findings reveal a positive effect of central exams at the end of secondary school on adult skills

Findings reveal a positive effect of central exams at the end of secondary school on adult skills

It is often assumed that centralized testing have positive effects on student test scores. However, critics suggest that this result may simply reflect differences in students’ test-taking ability, rather than actual differences in knowledge and skills. Exploiting differences across exam types in different school systems and over time, this article provides evidence that centralized exams have a positive impact on adult skills. However, the estimated impact on skills is small, and there seems to be no significant average impact on earnings.

Lisa Leschniga, Guido Schwerdt & Katarina Zigova (2022): Central exams and adult skills: Evidence from PIAAC. Economics of Education Review, Volume 90, October 2022.

doi 10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102289