Abstract
This paper presents a small theoretical model to compare school systems that segregate students by ability (“tracking”) with comprehensive ones, which allow for mixing of differently skilled students into same classes. The outcomes of interest are the achievement levels of weaker and better students, and the average achievement of all students. In the model, the instructional pace is tailored to the skill distribution of a class, and higher-achieving peers are an additional source of learning. The results show that differences in both the share of high-achievers and degree of interaction between student types can explain the mixed (quasi-)experimental evidence on the effect of de-tracking on student achievement. As changes in peer quality affect good and weak students’ achievement in very different ways, the term “peer effect” should be used with caution.
Funding statement: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Bildung und Kultus, Wissenschaft und Kunst, (Grant / Award Number: ’Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE)’).
Acknowledgment
I want to thank Pavel Jelnov, Patrick Puhani, Regina Riphahn, Richard Romano, Guido Schwerdt, and two anonymous referees for very valuable comments. Financial support by the Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE) is gratefully acknowledged. Any errors or omissions are mine.
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Research Articles
- Increasing Block Tariffs in the Water Sector – An Interpretation in Terms of Social Preferences
- “Leaving No Child Behind:” Preferences for Social Inclusion and Altruism
- Does Job Satisfaction Increase Sales and Customer Satisfaction? Evidence from Retail Banking in South Korea
- A Model about the Impact of Ability Grouping on Student Achievement
- Is Population Growth Bad for the Environment?
- Vertical Integration Smooths Innovation Diffusion
- Is it the Way You Live or the Job You Have? Health Effects of Lifestyles and Working Conditions
- Health Insurance Coverage and Risky Health Behaviors among Young Adults
- Letter
- Does Previous Marijuana Use Increase the Use of Other Drugs: An Almost Ideal Demand System Approach