Question 1

Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

School voucher programs can increase competition among schools, potentially leading to higher salaries for excellent teachers as schools strive to attract and retain quality educators.

Question 2

"Increasing competition between schools will tend to lower both the cost and quality of education." Is this statement true or false?

Accepted Answer

The answer of "Increasing competition between schools will tend to...

Question 3

Which of the following is true about a voucher system?

Accepted Answer

A voucher system allows parents to use public funding allocated for their child's education to enroll their child in a school of their choice, increasing competition among schools and potentially improving quality and diversity of offerings.

Question 4

What best explains why so many children attend public schools, instead of private schools?\

Accepted Answer

Public schools do not charge tuition, making them accessible to families of all income levels.

Question 5

Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

Research and surveys have shown that African-American students often see improved achievement scores in voucher programs, parents generally report high satisfaction with charter and voucher schools, and targeted voucher programs can help reduce racial segregation in certain contexts.

Question 6

Since 1970, real spending per student in American public elementary schools has

Accepted Answer

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, real spending per student in American public elementary schools has doubled since 1970. Adjusted for inflation, the per-student spending in 1970 was $4,060, while in 2018 it was $8,200.

Question 7

When the government both provides education and covers its costs through taxation,

Accepted Answer

When the government provides education and funds it through taxation, parents have limited power to influence or change the quality or quantity of education, as they cannot easily choose alternative providers or withdraw funding.

Question 8

Which of the following is true with regard to the lower achievement scores of American students compared to students in most developed countries?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that there is no consistent correlation between the amount of money spent on education and student performance on standardized tests.

Question 9

The incentive of schools to provide a high quality education at a low cost and the incentive of parents and students to shop around for the best schools will be weakest when education is produced

Accepted Answer

When education is produced by public schools and the cost of education is covered by taxes, schools do not have a direct financial incentive to provide high quality education at a low cost because they are not directly competing with other schools for customers. Similarly, parents and students do not have a direct financial incentive to shop around for the best schools because they are already paying for education through their taxes. Therefore, the weakest incentives for high quality education at a low cost occur when education is produced by public schools and the cost is covered by taxes.

Question 10

Charter schools are

Accepted Answer

Charter schools are non-traditional public schools that operate independently from traditional public schools and are funded by the government. They are given freedom from some of the regulations and requirements that traditional public schools must follow, but they are still held accountable for their academic performance. Charter schools are not privately funded, typically not religious, and do not charge tuition.

Question 11

During the 2008-2009 school year, approximately how many students attended a charter school?

Accepted Answer

According to data from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, approximately 1.4 million students attended a charter school during the 2008-2009 school year.

Question 12

Which of the following factors helps explain why public school administrators have little economic incentive to operate efficiently?

Accepted Answer

Public schools have substantial monopoly power because they are the main providers of education in a given area, which leads to little competition. The funding levels for public schools are determined by politicians rather than directly by consumers, which means that there is less pressure to operate efficiently in order to attract or retain students. Additionally, it is expensive for consumers to switch from a public to a private school, which further reduces the incentives for public school administrators to operate efficiently.

Question 13

In contrast to schools in a voucher system, charter schools are

Accepted Answer

The answer of In contrast to schools in a voucher...

Question 14

In 2008, how many states permitted public school choice in some or all school districts?

Accepted Answer

In 2008, 30 states permitted public school choice in some or all school districts.

Question 15

Competition between public and private schools is ____ at the college level than at the elementary and secondary level.

Accepted Answer

Competition is stronger at the college level due to the higher stakes involved in attracting students, funding, and prestige.

Question 16

The combined SAT scores of American students is

Accepted Answer

According to data from the College Board, the combined SAT scores of American students have been declining since the 1970s, with a significant drop in scores in the early 2000s. Therefore, option C is correct.

Question 17

If elementary and secondary schooling were produced entirely by private firms and purchased by parents with their own money,

Accepted Answer

If elementary and secondary schooling were produced entirely by private firms and purchased by parents with their own money, parents would have a strong incentive to search for those schools offering their children the best education at the best value. This would result in the schools catering better to the desires of parents and supplying education more efficiently. Moreover, schools would face much stronger competition from one another that would tend to increase the quality of schooling. Therefore, all of the above would occur.

Question 18

Voucher programs appear to ____ the achievement scores of African-American students after one to two years in the program and they tend to ____ racial integration in highly segregated communities.

Accepted Answer

Voucher programs tend to increase the achievement scores of African-American students after one to two years and also tend to increase racial integration in highly segregated communities.

Question 19

What is a major objection that is usually raised against a voucher system?

Accepted Answer

A major objection to voucher systems is that they take funds away from public schools, reducing their quality and resources. This is a concern for many critics who argue that privatization of education may have negative consequences for students who cannot afford to attend private schools.

Question 20

In the U.S. higher educational system, students and parents have choices as to which college or university the student attends and generally must finance part of it from personal funds. As a result of this different incentive structure, the U.S. higher educational system is

Accepted Answer

The U.S. higher educational system being driven by personal choice and financing incentivizes colleges and universities to continually improve and provide better services to attract students, making it one of the best in the world. Additionally, the competition among institutions also drives innovation and the pursuit of excellence. While there are certainly challenges and criticisms of the system, overall, it is considered to be among the best globally.

Quiz 16: Applying the Basics: Special Topics in Economics

Which of the following is true?

"Increasing competition between schools will tend to lower both the cost and quality of education." Is this statement true or false?

Which of the following is true about a voucher system?

What best explains why so many children attend public schools, instead of private schools?\

Which of the following is true?

Since 1970, real spending per student in American public elementary schools has

When the government both provides education and covers its costs through taxation,

Which of the following is true with regard to the lower achievement scores of American students compared to students in most developed countries?

The incentive of schools to provide a high quality education at a low cost and the incentive of parents and students to shop around for the best schools will be weakest when education is produced

Charter schools are

During the 2008-2009 school year, approximately how many students attended a charter school?

Which of the following factors helps explain why public school administrators have little economic incentive to operate efficiently?

In contrast to schools in a voucher system, charter schools are

In 2008, how many states permitted public school choice in some or all school districts?

Competition between public and private schools is ____ at the college level than at the elementary and secondary level.

The combined SAT scores of American students is

If elementary and secondary schooling were produced entirely by private firms and purchased by parents with their own money,

Voucher programs appear to the achievement scores of African-American students after one to two years in the program and they tend to racial integration in highly segregated communities.

What is a major objection that is usually raised against a voucher system?

In the U.S. higher educational system, students and parents have choices as to which college or university the student attends and generally must finance part of it from personal funds. As a result of this different incentive structure, the U.S. higher educational system is