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Evidence and Persistence of Education Inequality in an Early-Tracking System - The German Case

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  • Annabelle Krause
  • Simone Schüller

Abstract

This article reviews empirical evidence on the early tracking system in Germany and the educational inequalities associated with it. Overall, the literature confirms the existence of considerable social, ethnic, gender- and age-related inequalities in secondary school track placement. Studies on tracking timing and track allocation mechanisms reveal that postponement of the selection decision and binding teacher recommendations may reduce certain (mainly social) inequalities. Furthermore, recent evidence concerning long-term consequences of tracking on labor market outcomes suggests that sizeable built-in flexibilities in the German system succeed in compensating for initial (age-related) education inequalities. The paper concludes with an outline and discussion of the most promising pathways for future research in order to help design inequality-reducing policy recommendations.

Suggested Citation

  • Annabelle Krause & Simone Schüller, 2014. "Evidence and Persistence of Education Inequality in an Early-Tracking System - The German Case," FBK-IRVAPP Working Papers 2014-07, Research Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies (IRVAPP), Bruno Kessler Foundation.
    • Handle: RePEc:fbk:wpaper:2014-07
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Eric A. Hanushek & Ludger Wössmann, 2006. "Does Educational Tracking Affect Performance and Inequality? Differences- in-Differences Evidence Across Countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 116(510), pages 63-76, March.
    6. Patrick A. Puhani & Andrea M. Weber, 2008. "Does the early bird catch the worm?," Studies in Empirical Economics, in: Christian Dustmann & Bernd Fitzenberger & Stephen Machin (ed.), The Economics of Education and Training, pages 105-132, Springer.
    7. Wölfel, Oliver & Heineck, Guido, 2012. "Parental risk attitudes and children's secondary school track choice," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 727-743.
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    17. Marlies Kornfeld & Carsten Ochsen, 2015. "Teachers' versus parental choice and the tracking distribution of students: a natural experiment," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(60), pages 6529-6542, December.
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    21. Betts, Julian R., 2011. "The Economics of Tracking in Education," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & Stephen Machin & Ludger Woessmann (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 7, pages 341-381, Elsevier.
    22. Elke Lüdemann & Guido Schwerdt, 2013. "Migration background and educational tracking," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 26(2), pages 455-481, April.
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    1. Evidence and Persistence of Education Inequality in an Early-Tracking System – The German Case
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2014-12-04 17:38:43

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    Cited by:

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    2. Gordon Anderson & Maria Grazia Pittau & Roberto Zelli, 2020. "Measuring the progress of equality of educational opportunity in absence of cardinal comparability," METRON, Springer;Sapienza Università di Roma, vol. 78(2), pages 155-174, August.
    3. Joelle Latina & José V. Ramirez, 2017. "On the efficiency of school tracking: a perspective from outcomes in dual VET in Switzerland," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 51(1), pages 1-13, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tracking; Educational inequality; School system; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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