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Inequality of educational opportunity in a cross-section of countries. Empirical analysis of 2009 PISA data

Author

Listed:
  • Timur Natkhov

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics. Center for Institutional Studies, Associate Professor.)

  • Natalia Kozina

    (National Research University Higher School of Economics. Center for Institutional Studies, Researcher.)

Abstract

We provide a measure of inequality of educational opportunity for 72 countries, estimated as a share of the variation in the 2009 PISA test scores that is explained by pre-determined family characteristics. Inequality of opportunity accounts for up to 40 percent of the variation in educational achievement and different measures (for example in math, science, and reading) are highly correlated. Cross-country variation in the inequality of educational opportunity is unrelated to financial indicators, such as expenditure per student or public spending on education as a share of GDP, but depends on pre-school enrollment, overall economic inequality, and the availability of basic medical services. We also document the negative relationship between the inequality of educational opportunity and educational achievement: average educational achievement is lower in countries where family background plays a major role in determining individual progress.

Suggested Citation

  • Timur Natkhov & Natalia Kozina, 2012. "Inequality of educational opportunity in a cross-section of countries. Empirical analysis of 2009 PISA data," HSE Working papers WP BRP 07/EDU/2012, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hig:wpaper:07edu2012
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    File URL: http://www.hse.ru/data/2012/11/23/1301707439/07EDU2012.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gabriela Schütz & Heinrich W. Ursprung & Ludger Wößmann, 2008. "Education Policy and Equality of Opportunity," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(2), pages 279-308, May.
    2. Hanushek, Eric A. & Woessmann, Ludger, 2011. "The Economics of International Differences in Educational Achievement," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & Stephen Machin & Ludger Woessmann (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 2, pages 89-200, Elsevier.
    3. Francisco H. G. Ferreira & Jérémie Gignoux, 2014. "The Measurement of Educational Inequality: Achievement and Opportunity," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 28(2), pages 210-246.
    4. Pritchett, Lant, 2006. "Does Learning to Add up Add up? The Returns to Schooling in Aggregate Data," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 11, pages 635-695, Elsevier.
    5. repec:hal:pseose:halshs-00646594 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Ludger Woessmann, 2004. "How Equal Are Educational Opportunities? Family Background and Student Achievement in Europe and the United States," CESifo Working Paper Series 1162, CESifo.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Gordey Yastrebov & Alexey Bessudnov & Мarina Pinskaya & Sergey Kosaretsky, 2013. "The Issue of Educational Results' Contextualization: Schools, Their Social Structure and a Territory Deprivation Level," Voprosy obrazovaniya / Educational Studies Moscow, National Research University Higher School of Economics, issue 4, pages 188-246.
    2. Aysit Tansel, 2015. "Inequality of Opportunities of Educational Achievement in Turkey Over Time," Working Papers 923, Economic Research Forum, revised Jun 2015.
    3. Sevda Gürsakal & Dilek Murat & Necmi Gürsakal, 2016. "Assessment of PISA 2012 Results With Quantile Regression Analysis Within The Context of Inequality In Educational Opportunity," Alphanumeric Journal, Bahadir Fatih Yildirim, vol. 4(2), pages 41-54, September.
    4. Tansel, Aysit, 2015. "Inequality of Opportunities of Educational Achievement in Turkey over Time," IZA Discussion Papers 9005, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    equality of opportunity; student performance; family background; equity-efficiency trade-off;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education

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