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Bridging the Gaps: Inequalities in Childrens' Educational Outcomes in Ireland

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  • David Madden

    (University College Dublin)

Abstract

Recent developments in the inequality literature has stressed the importance of inequality of opportunity as opposed to inequality of outcome. In this paper we investigate the presence of ex post inequality of opportunity in two measures of educational achievement for a representative sample of Irish 9 year olds. Students are partitioned into four groups according to maternal education levels and gaps in outcomes are calculated between each group. Quantile decompositions of the pairwise gaps reveal that almost half of the gaps can be explained by differences in characteristics between the groups Detailed decompositions show consistently significant effects for income, number of childrens' books in the home and maternal age.

Suggested Citation

  • David Madden, 2014. "Bridging the Gaps: Inequalities in Childrens' Educational Outcomes in Ireland," Working Papers 201420, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucn:wpaper:201420
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David (David Patrick) Madden, 2020. "The Socioeconomic Gradient of Cognitive Test Scores: Evidence from Two Cohorts of Irish Children," Working Papers 202020, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    2. David Madden, 2022. "The socio‐economic gradient of cognitive test scores: evidence from two cohorts of Irish children," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(3), pages 265-290, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality of opportunity; quantile decomposition;

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models

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