The relative effectiveness of single-sex and coeducational schools in Thailand

Abstract

This paper provides evidence regarding the relative effects of single-sex and coeducational school in enhancing eighth grade mathematics achievement in Thailand. It uses pre and post eighth grade test scores to estimate value added equations for single-sex and coeducational schools. The preliminary conclusions are the following. First, girls in single-sex schools do significantly better than their coeducational school counterparts, while boys in coeducational schools do better. Thus there is not a unique single-sex/coeducational school effect on enhancing achievement, but this effect interacts strongly according to the sex of the student. Second, it is expected that selection biases are mitigated in"value added"formulations of achievement functions (as opposed to"level"formulations), and they are still significant in Thailand. Third, even after measured inputs and school practices are held constant, a single sex school advantage for females and a coeducational school advantage for males persist. Finally, peer"quality"effects in single-sex and coeducational schools appear to account for most of the difference between the two types of schools and their relative effectiveness for male and female students.Gender and Education,Teaching and Learning,Adolescent Health,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Primary Education