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Shot Across the Bow, Stigma or Selection? The Effect of Repeating a Class on Educational Attainment

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  • Fertig, Michael

    (ISG, Cologne)

Abstract

The German practice of compelling weak students to repeat a class has come under heavy criticism recently. Many observers fear that this practice is, at best, useless or even counterproductive. However, little is known so far on the consequences of having to repeat a class, as compared to be confronted with new course material in the next class. This paper, therefore, aims at generating empirical evidence on the effect of class repetition on individual educational attainment. Since an experimental study is precluded, we utilize an instrumental variable approach to control for unobserved heterogeneity between respondents. Our estimation results suggest that there exists a negative association between repeating a class and educational attainment. However, taking unobserved heterogeneity into account yields a statistically significant and quantitatively substantial positive effect of class repetition on educational outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Fertig, Michael, 2004. "Shot Across the Bow, Stigma or Selection? The Effect of Repeating a Class on Educational Attainment," IZA Discussion Papers 1266, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1266
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Imbens, Guido W & Angrist, Joshua D, 1994. "Identification and Estimation of Local Average Treatment Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 62(2), pages 467-475, March.
    2. Jean-Pierre Florens & James Heckman & Costas Meghir & Edward Vytlacil, 2002. "Instrumental variables, local instrumental variables and control functions," CeMMAP working papers CWP15/02, Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    3. Murphy, Kevin M & Topel, Robert H, 2002. "Estimation and Inference in Two-Step Econometric Models," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 20(1), pages 88-97, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fertig, Michael, 2004. "What Can We Learn From International Student Performance Studies? Some Methodological Remarks," RWI Discussion Papers 23, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    2. Jane Cooley Fruehwirth & Salvador Navarro & Yuya Takahashi, 2016. "How the Timing of Grade Retention Affects Outcomes: Identification and Estimation of Time-Varying Treatment Effects," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(4), pages 979-1021.
    3. repec:zbw:rwidps:0023 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Michael Fertig, 2004. "What Can We Learn From International Student Performance Studies? Some Methodological Remarks," RWI Discussion Papers 0023, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    5. Fertig, Michael & Görlitz, Katja & Peistrup, Matthias & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Winter, Barbara & Grenzmann, Christoph & Kreuels, Bernd & Niehof, Britta & Engel, Dirk, 2010. "Innovationsbericht 2009: Zur Leistungsfähigkeit des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen in Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie. Endbericht - Januar 2010. Forschungsprojekt für das Ministerium für Innovatio," RWI Projektberichte, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, number 72605, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    schooling degree; instrumental variables estimation;

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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