It is often assumed that centralized testing have positive effects on student test scores. However, critics suggest that this result may simply reflect differences in students’ test-taking ability, rather than actual differences in knowledge and skills. Exploiting differences across exam types in different school systems and over time, this article provides evidence that centralized exams have a positive impact on adult skills. However, the estimated impact on skills is small, and there seems to be no significant average impact on earnings.

Lisa Leschniga, Guido Schwerdt & Katarina Zigova (2022): Central exams and adult skills: Evidence from PIAAC. Economics of Education Review, Volume 90, October 2022.

doi 10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102289