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The Tower of Babel in the Classroom: Immigrants and Natives in Italian Schools

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  • Ballatore, Rosario Maria

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Fort, Margherita

    (University of Bologna)

  • Ichino, Andrea

    (European University Institute)

Abstract

We exploit rules of class formation to identify the causal effect of increasing the number of immigrants in a classroom on natives test scores, keeping class size constant (Pure Composition Effect). We explain why this is a relevant policy parameter although it has been neglected so far. We show that the PCE is sizeable and negative at age 7 (-1.6% for language and math) and does not vanish when children grow up to age 10. Conventional estimates are instead smaller because they are confounded by endogenous class size adjustments implemented by principals when confronted with immigrant and native inflows.

Suggested Citation

  • Ballatore, Rosario Maria & Fort, Margherita & Ichino, Andrea, 2014. "The Tower of Babel in the Classroom: Immigrants and Natives in Italian Schools," IZA Discussion Papers 8732, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8732
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eric D. Gould & Victor Lavy & M. Daniele Paserman, 2009. "Does Immigration Affect the Long-Term Educational Outcomes of Natives? Quasi-Experimental Evidence," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(540), pages 1243-1269, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education; immigration; integration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C36 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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