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Intergenerational Transmission of Educational Attainment in Germany – The Last Five Decades

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  • Heineck Guido

    (Dep. of Economics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Lange Gasse 20, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany)

  • Riphahn Regina T.

    (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Lange Gasse 20, 90403Nuremberg, Germany)

Abstract

Over the last decades the German education system underwent numerous reforms in order to improve “equality of opportunity”, i.e. to guarantee all pupils independent of parental background equal access to higher education. At the same time internationally comparative evidence yields that Germany features particularly low intergenerational mobility with respect to educational attainment. This study investigates the development in intergenerational education mobility in Germany for the birth cohorts 1929 through 1978 with respect to secondary school attainment. We test whether the impact of parental educational background on child educational outcomes changed over time. In spite of massive public policy interventions and education reforms our results yield no significant reduction in the role of parental educational background for child outcomes over the last decades.

Suggested Citation

  • Heineck Guido & Riphahn Regina T., 2009. "Intergenerational Transmission of Educational Attainment in Germany – The Last Five Decades," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(1), pages 36-60, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:229:y:2009:i:1:p:36-60
    DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2009-0104
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education transmission; intergenerational mobility; schooling; human capital transmission;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts

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