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A researcher’s guide to the Swedish compulsory school reform

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  • Holmlund, Helena

    (IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy)

Abstract

This paper demonstrates how a natural experiment in education can be used to estimate causal effects. The Swedish compulsory school reform extended basic education gradually across cohorts and municipalities, allowing for a difference-in-differences analysis. The paper summarizes the literature using this reform and shows that it provided individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds with better opportunities in life. Not only did they attain higher levels of education – they also earned higher earnings, were less likely to participate in crime, and more likely to run for office.

Suggested Citation

  • Holmlund, Helena, 2020. "A researcher’s guide to the Swedish compulsory school reform," Working Paper Series 2020:15, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:ifauwp:2020_015
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education reform; natural experiment;

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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