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Can ethnic diversity have a positive effect on school achievement?

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  • Virginia Maestri

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of ethnic diversity on test scores, on top of the effect of the share of non-native pupils. We use a rich survey of Dutch primary school students and exploit variations between subsequent cohorts within the same school as our identification strategy. We find that ethnic diversity has a positive impact on the test scores of minority students, in particular for language skills. We also find some evidence of a negative relationship between ethnic diversity and school social integration. We suggest that ethnic diversity stimulates language proficiency and increases the time students spend studying.

Suggested Citation

  • Virginia Maestri, 2017. "Can ethnic diversity have a positive effect on school achievement?," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3), pages 290-303, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:25:y:2017:i:3:p:290-303
    DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2016.1238879
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    Cited by:

    1. Chareyron, Sylvain & Chung, Amélie & Domingues, Patrick, 2021. "Ethnic diversity and educational success: Evidence from France," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 133-143.
    2. Ohinata, A. & van Ours, J.C., 2013. "Spillover Effects of Studying with Immigrant Students : A Quantile Regression Approach," Discussion Paper 2013-058, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    3. Frattini, Tommaso & Meschi, Elena, 2019. "The effect of immigrant peers in vocational schools," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-22.
    4. Julia Bredtmann & Sebastian Otten & Christina Vonnahme, 2021. "Linguistic diversity in the classroom, student achievement, and social integration," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 121-142, March.
    5. George N Okoli & Otto L T Lam & Florentin Racovitan & Viraj K Reddy & Christiaan H Righolt & Christine Neilson & Ayman Chit & Edward Thommes & Ahmed M Abou-Setta & Salaheddin M Mahmud, 2020. "Seasonal influenza vaccination in older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the determining factors," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-26, June.
    6. Asako Ohinata & Jan C. Ours, 2016. "Quantile Peer Effects of Immigrant Children at Primary Schools," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 30(2), pages 135-157, June.
    7. Chevalier, Arnaud & Isphording, Ingo E. & Lisauskaite, Elena, 2020. "Peer diversity, college performance and educational choices," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Jürges, Hendrik & Makles, Anna M. & Naghavi, Arash & Schneider, Kerstin, 2022. "Melting pot kindergarten: The effect of linguistic diversity in early education," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    9. Katarzyna Lukaniszyn-Domaszewska, 2021. "Minority Groups as Socio-Economic Development Factor of the Emerging EU Region in the Opinion of Regional Authorities: Evidence from Poland and the German Minority," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 507-521.
    10. De Paola, Maria & Brunello, Giorgio, 2016. "Education as a Tool for the Economic Integration of Migrants," IZA Discussion Papers 9836, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Ciarán Murphy, 2022. "The Effect of School Diversity on Academic Performance," Economics Department Working Paper Series n318-22.pdf, Department of Economics, National University of Ireland - Maynooth.
    12. Sjaak Braster & Jaap Dronkers, 2013. "The positive effects of ethnic diversity in class on the educational performance of pupils in a multi-ethnic European metropole," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 1318, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    13. van Ours, Jan C. & Ohinata, Asako, 2013. "Spillover effects of studying with immigrant students; a quantile regression approach," CEPR Discussion Papers 9736, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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