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Selection on performance and tracking

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  • R. A. Korthals
  • J. Dronkers

Abstract

Tracking is widely used in secondary schools around the world. Some countries put more emphasis on the use of performance to place students into tracks (e.g. the Netherlands), while in other countries parents have more influence on the track their child will go to (e.g. Germany). This article examines whether selection into tracks based on performance has an effect on the relation between tracking and student performance and educational opportunities. Using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment for around 185 000 students in 31 countries, different estimation models are compared. The results indicate that a highly differentiated system is best for performance when schools always consider prior performance when deciding on student acceptance. In systems with a few tracks, there is no such impact. Equality of opportunity is best provided for in a system with many tracks when schools always consider prior performance.

Suggested Citation

  • R. A. Korthals & J. Dronkers, 2016. "Selection on performance and tracking," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(30), pages 2836-2851, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:48:y:2016:i:30:p:2836-2851
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2015.1130789
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    Cited by:

    1. Bles, Per & van der Velden, Rolf & Ariës, Roel J., 2020. "Is there an opportunity-performance trade-off in secondary education?," Research Memorandum 022, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    2. Eva Feron & Trudie Schils & Bas ter Weel, 2016. "Does the Teacher Beat the Test? The Value of the Teacher’s Assessment in Predicting Student Ability," De Economist, Springer, vol. 164(4), pages 391-418, December.
    3. Stans, Renske A., 2022. "Short-run shock, long-run consequences? The impact of grandparental death on educational outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).

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