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Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > July > 26 > Entry
As test scores rise, the town gets richer
Maybe this is a “duh” study. In districts that score high on standardized tests, homes are worth more. If you want to debate the “chicken or egg” question about wealth and test scores, check out my posts on that topic by going here.
Still I found it interesting that a recent study of Ohio found that big gains in test scores by a school district translated directly to nice jumps in home prices there. From Education Week:
An Ohio study suggests that high scores by public school students on state exams may help boost a community’s home prices. Donald Haurin, an economics professor at Ohio State University in Columbus, examined 77,578 house-buying transactions for the year 2000 in seven urban Ohio communities and compared them to the 4th and 9th grade test scores in those districts. On average, he found that a 20 percent increase in a district’s pass rate on the state tests translated to a 7 percent increase in the home prices in that district. His study was published in the May issue of the Journal of Regional Science.
So the pro- and anti-testing crowds can debate all day about the value and meaning of standardized test results, but one group pretty clearly seems to believe those results are meaningful and useful — home buyers.
In your view, are these folks making rational choices? Does a sudden jump in test scores really mean a school district should command that much more respect?
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Testing
Comments
By Ms. Cornelius
July 27, 2006 12:04 AM | Link to this
It makes sense. If you don’t have the scores, your district loses accreditation, which can affect where Junior goes to college.By Mary
July 26, 2006 8:58 PM | Link to this
A sudden jump in test scores might mean they cheated somehow, so no, that does not necessarily mean a school district should command more respect. What is the value added for individual students? Some students could ace the tests no matter where they live. Additional details and long term performance should be more revealing as to the appropriateness of the school district for particular students. I tire of the over hyped connection and marketing between home values and school districts. Overpriced homes and high property taxes can also chase families out of communities.