Making the Grade: The Sensitivity of Education Program Effectiveness to Input Choices and Outcome Measures
通过随机实验评估母语识字项目，发现项目有效性对投入选择和结果指标高度敏感：完整版显著提升阅读和写作成绩，而低成本版阅读效果不显著且对高级写作有较大负效应。
Abstract This paper demonstrates the acute sensitivity of education program effectiveness to the choices of inputs and outcome measures, using a randomized evaluation of a mother-tongue literacy program. The program raises reading scores by 0.64 SD and writing scores by 0.45 SD. A reduced-cost version instead yields statistically insignificant reading gains and some large negative effects (−0.33 SDs) on advanced writing. We combine a conceptual model of education production with detailed classroom observations to examine the mechanisms driving the results; we show they could be driven by the program initially lowering productivity before raising it, and potentially by missing complementary inputs in the reduced-cost version.