Have there been attempts to measure the value of specific taught skills? I'm aware there is a body of research concerned with measuring the returns to schooling in general, and there are theoretical pronouncements about what the most valuable things to learn at school are.

Have there been any empirical attempts to estimate the value of being taught specific skills - for example, phonics or solving algebraic equations?
Have there been any empirical attempts to estimate the value of being taught specific skills - for example, phonics or solving algebraic equations?


If I may be brazen enough to challenge the basis of this question. We first need to have an economic criteria to evaluate a subject in a curriculum before we start analysing its relevance to the labour market .

I got all this information from the University of Mumbai- Economics of Education for M.A Education
. (free download and an easy read).

In terms of how an economist should view a curriculum, the criteria is twofold, as stated in the course kit:


  One needs to asses the value of the subject and its
  existence in the system.
   There are two criteria for a particular
  subject being studied or taught in a given course of study.
  
  1) Theoretical consideration:
  The subject should be a body of fundamental knowledge
  which is a prerequisite for the understanding of other subjects.
  
  2) Practical consideration:
   The subject should have a practical significance in the sense
  that its understanding would be useful in taking efficient decisions
  in some of the practical problems. (pg.108)


This being said, its inappropriate to measure productivity on the basis of knowledge of phonics and algebra as these are studies which are only prerequisites of more prerequisites for another subject with labour market implications.

Hope this helps