Assessing the effectiveness of schools with pupils of different ability using data envelopment analysis

Research suggests that many schools have a differential effectiveness with pupils of different ability. For example a school may be more effective in raising the performance of pupils of low rather than higher ability or vice versa. The identification of the existence of any differential effectiveness at a school is important as it can prompt a review of reaching practices, which will benefit ability ranges hitherto disadvantaged and thereby improve the overall effectiveness of the school. The mast appropriate data for assessing differential effectiveness would be at pupil or, at least, at ability range level. Such data is not generally available. This paper develops a data envelopment analysis (DEA) based method that can identify the existence, and indicate the direction of, differential effectiveness at a school using data covering the full range of pupil abilities. The method can also identify role model schools for a school seeking to alter the bias in its differential effectiveness.