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Educational Assortative Mating and Children's School Readiness

Author

Listed:
  • Audrey Beck

    (Princeton University)

  • Carlos Gonzalez-Sancho

    (Juan March Institute and Nuffield College)

Abstract

One of the concerns behind parental educational sorting is its potential to widen disparities in the ability of families to invest in their children's development. Using data from the Fragile Families and Children Wellbeing Study, this paper investigates the association between parental educational homogamy and children's school readiness at age 5. Our analyses reveal a positive impact of homogamy across child outcomes, most notably on socio-emotional indicators of development. Enhanced levels of parental agreement about the organization of family life and symmetry in the allocation of time to child care emerge as the intervening mechanisms behind this association. Our findings lend support to theoretical claims about the relevance of within-family social capital in the creation of human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Audrey Beck & Carlos Gonzalez-Sancho, 2009. "Educational Assortative Mating and Children's School Readiness," Working Papers 1142, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    • Handle: RePEc:pri:crcwel:wp09-05-ff.pdf
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    File URL: https://fragilefamilies.princeton.edu/sites/fragilefamilies/files/wp09-05-ff.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human capital; social capital; fragile families; school readiness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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