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Class Assignment and Peer Group Effects: Evidence from Brazilian Primary Schools

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  • Martin Foureaux Koppensteiner

Abstract

Students in Brazil are typically assigned to classes based on their age ranking in their school grade. I exploit this rule to estimate the effects on maths achievement of being in a class with older peers for students in fifth grade of primary school. Because grade repetition is widespread in Brazil, the distribution of age is skewed to the right and hence age heterogeneity is typically higher in older classes. I provide evidence that heterogeneity in age is the driving factor behind the large negative estimated effect of being in an older class. Information on teaching practices and student behaviour sheds light on how class heterogeneity harms learning.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Foureaux Koppensteiner, 2012. "Class Assignment and Peer Group Effects: Evidence from Brazilian Primary Schools," Discussion Papers in Economics 12/03, Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester.
    • Handle: RePEc:lec:leecon:12/03
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    File URL: https://www.le.ac.uk/economics/research/RePEc/lec/leecon/dp12-03.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Benjamin Elsner & Ingo E. Isphording, 2017. "A Big Fish in a Small Pond: Ability Rank and Human Capital Investment," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 35(3), pages 787-828.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Peer effects; regression discontinuity; educational production; group heterogeneity.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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