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All work and no play? The effects of ability sorting on students’ non-school inputs, time use, and grade anxiety

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  • Wang, Liang Choon

Abstract

How students’ non-school inputs respond to ability grouping may explain the currently mixed findings in the literature about the impacts of tracking. Using data from South Korea, where students are randomized into middle schools under the country's equalization policy, but sorted into different high schools on the basis of achievement in some non-equalization policy areas, I find that under ability sorting, students’ demand for private tutoring, self-study time, and grade anxiety levels are lower, and their hours of sleep and leisure are higher. The effects on private tutoring are particularly significant for high achievers, while the effects on self-study and leisure hours are strong for low achievers. The results potentially help reconcile the mixed findings in the ability grouping and tracking literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Liang Choon, 2015. "All work and no play? The effects of ability sorting on students’ non-school inputs, time use, and grade anxiety," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 29-41.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:44:y:2015:i:c:p:29-41
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2014.10.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Changhui Kang & Cheolsung Park & Myoung-Jae Lee, 2007. "Effects of ability mixing in high school on adulthood earnings: quasiexperimental evidence from South Korea," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 20(2), pages 269-297, April.
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    4. Gibbons, Stephen & Silva, Olmo, 2011. "School quality, child wellbeing and parents' satisfaction," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 312-331, April.
    5. Youjin Hahn & Liang Choon Wang & Hee-Seung Yang, 2014. "Does Greater School Autonomy Make a Difference? Evidence from a Randomized Natural Experiment in South Korea," Monash Economics Working Papers 48-14, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    6. Hyunjoon Park & Jere Behrman & Jaesung Choi, 2013. "Causal Effects of Single-Sex Schools on College Entrance Exams and College Attendance: Random Assignment in Seoul High Schools," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(2), pages 447-469, April.
    7. Liang Choon Wang, 2013. "The deadly effect of high-stakes testing on teenagers with reference-dependent preferences," Monash Economics Working Papers 40-13, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    8. Figlio, David N. & Page, Marianne E., 2002. "School Choice and the Distributional Effects of Ability Tracking: Does Separation Increase Inequality?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 497-514, May.
    9. Hai-Anh Dang & F. Halsey Rogers, 2008. "The Growing Phenomenon of Private Tutoring: Does It Deepen Human Capital, Widen Inequalities, or Waste Resources?," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 23(2), pages 161-200, April.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Liang Choon Wang, 2016. "The effect of high-stakes testing on suicidal ideation of teenagers with reference-dependent preferences," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 29(2), pages 345-364, April.
    3. Ahn, Taehyun & Goh, Young-Geun, 2021. "The long-term influences of ability mixing on soft skills," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 367-386.
    4. Gupta, Shriyam & Liu, Chengfang & Li, Shaoping & Chang, Fang & Shi, Yaojiang, 2023. "Association between ability tracking and student’s academic and non-academic outcomes: Empirical evidence from junior high schools in rural China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    5. Högberg, Björn & Strandh, Mattias & Petersen, Solveig & Johansson, Klara, 2019. "Education system stratification and health complaints among school-aged children," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 159-166.
    6. Hahn, Youjin & Wang, Liang Choon & Yang, Hee-Seung, 2018. "Does greater school autonomy make a difference? Evidence from a randomized natural experiment in South Korea," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 15-30.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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