Do Test Scores Help Teachers Give Better Track Advice to Students? A Principal Stratification Analysis

Author: Andrea Ichino (University of Bologna)Fabrizia Mealli (European University Institute)Javier Viviens (European University Institute)
Posted: 28 November 2025

Abstract

We study whether access to standardized test scores improves the quality of teachers’ secondary school track recommendations, using Dutch data and a metric based on Principal Stratification in a quasi-randomized setting. Allowing teachers to revise their recommendations when test results exceed expectations increases the share of students successfully placed in more demanding tracks by at least 6%, but misplaces 7% of weaker students. However, only implausibly high weights on the short-term losses of students who must change track because of misplacement would justify prohibiting test-score-based upgrades. Access to test scores also induces fairer recommendations for immigrant and low-SES students.
JEL codes: I2
Keywords: principal stratification, secondary school track recommendations