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The Impact of Social Mixing at School: Evidence From a French Desegregation Program

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  • Ghazala Azmat

    (ECON - Département d'économie (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Julien Grenet

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris)

  • Élise Huillery

    (ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres)

  • Youssef Souidi

    (IPP - Institut des politiques publiques)

  • Yann Algan

    (HEC Paris - Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales)

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of school-level social mixing on social cohesion, socio-emotional development, and educational outcomes. We exploit variation induced by a French Ministry of Education desegregation program, comparing middle schools that increased socioeconomic mixing with observationally similar schools that did not. Focusing on the schools and students with the greatest baseline potential for increased mixing, we find that exposure to a more socioeconomically diverse peer group yields socio-emotional benefits for both high- and low-SES students and strengthens social cohesion, without negatively affecting the academic outcomes of either group. These findings offer actionable insights for policies aimed at fostering social cohesion in an era of rising polarization.

Suggested Citation

  • Ghazala Azmat & Julien Grenet & Élise Huillery & Youssef Souidi & Yann Algan, 2026. "The Impact of Social Mixing at School: Evidence From a French Desegregation Program," Institut des Politiques Publiques halshs-05586531, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:ipppap:halshs-05586531
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-05586531v1
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