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Are you on the right track? The effect of educational tracks on student achievement in upper-secondary education in Hungary

Author

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  • Zoltan Hermann

    (Institute of Economics, Center for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

The paper attempts to identify causal effects of being enrolled in different educational tracks on student achievement in upper-secondary education in Hungary. Rejected and admitted students are compared who applied to the same school and performed similarly in the previous grade. Average treatment effects on the treated are estimated with a matching method. Results indicate that higher track significantly raises student achievement. Beside the effect of tracks, the schools preferred by students within the tracks also provide better educational quality. Comparing the effects of tracks and differences within the tracks reveals that the advantage of the academic track does not differ from that of better schools in general. At the same time, the vocational track incurs substantial losses that are in part specific to that track.

Suggested Citation

  • Zoltan Hermann, 2013. "Are you on the right track? The effect of educational tracks on student achievement in upper-secondary education in Hungary," Budapest Working Papers on the Labour Market 1316, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:has:bworkp:1316
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Adamecz, Anna, 2023. "Longer schooling with grade retention: The effects of increasing the school leaving age on dropping out and labour market success," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Adamecz-Völgyi, Anna, 2021. "Is raising the school leaving age enough to decrease dropping out?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 985, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Keller, Tamás, 2016. "Ha a jegyek nem elég jók... Az önértékelés szerepe a felsőoktatásba való jelentkezésben [Self-assessment and its effects on applications for tertiary education]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(1), pages 62-78.
    4. Makó, Ágnes, 2019. "A közismereti tudás és az elkötelezettség hatása a szakiskolát végzettek munkaerőpiaci esélyeire [General knowledge and commitment as factors in the labour-market chances of those completing vocati," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(4), pages 434-458.
    5. Tamás Keller, 2015. "Sticky assessments – the impact of teachers’ grading standard on pupils’ school performance," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 10, in: Marta Rahona López & Jennifer Graves (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 10, edition 1, volume 10, chapter 16, pages 311-334, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education; tracking; matching; equality of opportunity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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