The Native-Migrant Gap in the Progression into and Through Upper-Secondary Education

38 Pages Posted: 27 Dec 2017

See all articles by Stefan C. Wolter

Stefan C. Wolter

Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education (SKBF); University of Bern - Department of Economics

Maria Zumbuehl

CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis

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Abstract

In this paper we follow the students that took the PISA 2012 test in Switzerland and analyze their transition into and progress in uppersecondary education. We observe a substantive difference in the rate of progress between natives and students with a migration background. One year after leaving compulsory school, the gap between the natives and migrants that are on-track – entering the second year of uppersecondary education – is 15 percentage points. Observable differences in cognitive and non-cognitive skills can explain the gap in the success rate within upper-secondary education, but cannot fully explain the difference in the transition rate into upper-secondary education. More refined analyses present results that are consistent with the hypotheses of differences in tastes, aspirations and incomplete or inaccurate information about the education system explaining the gap in the transition into post-compulsory education.

Keywords: education, migration, occupational choice

JEL Classification: I24, J15, J24, J62, J71

Suggested Citation

Wolter, Stefan C. and Zumbuehl, Maria, The Native-Migrant Gap in the Progression into and Through Upper-Secondary Education. IZA Discussion Paper No. 11217, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3092561 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3092561

Stefan C. Wolter (Contact Author)

Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education (SKBF) ( email )

CH - 5000 Aarau
Switzerland
+41 62 835 23 90 (Phone)
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HOME PAGE: http://www.skbf-csre.ch

University of Bern - Department of Economics ( email )

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Bern, CH-3012
Switzerland
+41 31 631 40 95 (Phone)
+41 31 631 39 92 (Fax)

Maria Zumbuehl

CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis ( email )

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