View in EDS

Optimal School System and Curriculum Design: Theory and Evidence. Discussion Paper #2025.05

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Optimal School System and Curriculum Design: Theory and Evidence. Discussion Paper #2025.05
Language: English
Authors: Glenn Ellison, Parag A. Pathak, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Blueprint Labs, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
Source: Blueprint Labs. 2025.
Availability: Blueprint Labs. 30 Wadsworth Street, Cambridge, MA 02142. e-mail: contact@mitblueprintlabs.org; Web site: https://blueprintlabs.mit.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 58
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Secondary Education
Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Curriculum Design, School Effectiveness, Outcomes of Education, Alignment (Education), Models, Selective Admission, Academic Achievement, Public Schools, Aptitude Tests, High Schools, College Entrance Examinations
Geographic Terms: Massachusetts (Boston)
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, SAT (College Admission Test)
Abstract: This paper develops a model of education production and uses it to study optimal school system and curriculum design. Curriculum design is modeled as a time-allocation problem. A school teaches students many skills and allocates time to different skills based on student characteristics. Our framework provides a novel interpretation of studies that find zero achievement effects at selective school admission cutoffs. We show that such findings may be consistent with highly effective schools implementing optimal curricula, rather than necessarily indicating ineffective schools. The interpretation depends on the alignment between measured outcome skills and skills emphasized in the curriculum. We test several model predictions using data from a prominent exam school and find supporting evidence that would be difficult to rationalize if selective schools were ineffective.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Access URL: https://blueprintcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Optimal-School-Sytem.pdf
Accession Number: ED674503
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED674503
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Optimal School System and Curriculum Design: Theory and Evidence. Discussion Paper #2025.05
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Glenn+Ellison%22">Glenn Ellison</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Parag+A%2E+Pathak%22">Parag A. Pathak</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Massachusetts+Institute+of+Technology+%28MIT%29%2C+Blueprint+Labs%22">Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Blueprint Labs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22National+Bureau+of+Economic+Research+%28NBER%29%22">National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Blueprint+Labs%22"><i>Blueprint Labs</i></searchLink>. 2025.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Blueprint Labs. 30 Wadsworth Street, Cambridge, MA 02142. e-mail: contact@mitblueprintlabs.org; Web site: https://blueprintlabs.mit.edu/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 58
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Design%22">Curriculum Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Effectiveness%22">School Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alignment+%28Education%29%22">Alignment (Education)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Models%22">Models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Selective+Admission%22">Selective Admission</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Schools%22">Public Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Aptitude+Tests%22">Aptitude Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Entrance+Examinations%22">College Entrance Examinations</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Massachusetts+%28Boston%29%22">Massachusetts (Boston)</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Massachusetts+Comprehensive+Assessment+System%22">Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Preliminary+Scholastic+Aptitude+Test%22">Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22SAT+%28College+Admission+Test%29%22">SAT (College Admission Test)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This paper develops a model of education production and uses it to study optimal school system and curriculum design. Curriculum design is modeled as a time-allocation problem. A school teaches students many skills and allocates time to different skills based on student characteristics. Our framework provides a novel interpretation of studies that find zero achievement effects at selective school admission cutoffs. We show that such findings may be consistent with highly effective schools implementing optimal curricula, rather than necessarily indicating ineffective schools. The interpretation depends on the alignment between measured outcome skills and skills emphasized in the curriculum. We test several model predictions using data from a prominent exam school and find supporting evidence that would be difficult to rationalize if selective schools were ineffective.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: URL
  Label: Access URL
  Group: URL
  Data: <link linkTarget="URL" linkTerm="https://blueprintcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Optimal-School-Sytem.pdf" linkWindow="_blank">https://blueprintcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Optimal-School-Sytem.pdf</link>
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED674503
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED674503
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 58
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Curriculum Design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Alignment (Education)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Selective Admission
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aptitude Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Entrance Examinations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Massachusetts (Boston)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: SAT (College Admission Test)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Optimal School System and Curriculum Design: Theory and Evidence. Discussion Paper #2025.05
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Blueprint Labs
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Glenn Ellison
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Parag A. Pathak
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Blueprint Labs
              Type: main
ResultId 1