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An extensive data set on upstate New York school district is used to test whether competition from private schools and competition within the public school sector positively affect public school output and again whether different types of expenditures affect output differently. It finds generally significant positive effects of private competition for some measures of school output, but little if any on measures such as the percent of students receiving high quality statewide Regents diplomas. It also finds that private school competition could reduce spending in the non-instructional categories, while competition from other public schools might encourage it.

An extensive data set on upstate New York school district is used to test whether competition from private schools and competition within the public school sector positively affect public school output and again whether different types of expenditures affect output differently. It finds generally significant positive effects of private competition for some measures of school output, but little if any on measures such as the percent of students receiving high quality statewide Regents diplomas. It also finds that private school competition could reduce spending in the non-instructional categories, while competition from other public schools might encourage it. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An extensive data set on upstate New York school district inputs and outputs is used to measure the technical efficiency of public school districts and to test whether certain institutional arrangements, including more public and private competition, can enhance various measures of high school outputs. The technique used involves stochastic frontier production functions. Whereas increased public school competition enhances output, the effect of private schools is sensitive to the output measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]