Citizen perceptions of public school efficiency: evidence from the U.S.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Improving efficiency is the basis for important public school reforms. While there has been substantial scholarship examining the relationship between actual and perceived performance, there has been very little research examining this relationship for efficiency. We use a large and representative sample of U.S. residents and data on student achievement and public school spending to examine the relationship between actual and perceived efficiency. We find a strong positive relationship between actual efficiency and our measure of perceived efficiency. Our research supports the normative tendency of public managers towards increased transparency and suggests that citizens will respond appropriately to information.