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Peer Heterogeneity, School Tracking and Students' Performances: Evidence from PISA 2006

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  • Michele Raitano
  • Francesco Vona

Abstract

The empirical literature using large international students’ assessments tends to neglectthe role of school composition variables in order not to incur in a misidentification of peer effects.However, this could lead to an error of higher logical type since the learning environment cruciallydepends on peer variables. In this paper, using PISA 2006, we show how peer heterogeneity is a keydeterminant of students’ attainments. Interestingly, the effect of peer variables differs depending onthe country tracking policy: peer heterogeneity reduces efficiency in comprehensive systemswhereas it has a non-linear impact in early-tracking ones. In turn, linear peer effects are larger inearly-tracking systems. Results remain robust in both student- and school-level regressions andwhen we add school-level dummies and several controls correlated with the school choice toalleviate the selectivity bias.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Raitano & Francesco Vona, 2011. "Peer Heterogeneity, School Tracking and Students' Performances: Evidence from PISA 2006," Working Papers in Public Economics 143, University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Economics and Law.
    • Handle: RePEc:sap:wpaper:wp143
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    1. Better abilities or stronger social ties? Drivers of social immobility across EU countries
      by Laurence Duboys Fresney in OFCE le blog on 2014-09-11 13:57:26

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    Cited by:

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    2. Francesco Vona, 2011. "Does the Expansion of Higher Education Reduce Educational Inequality? Evidence from 12 European Countries," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2011-12, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    3. Marchionni, Mariana & Pinto, Florencia & Vazquez, Emmanuel, 2013. "Determinantes de la desigualdad en el desempeño educativo en la Argentina [Determinants of the inequality in PISA test scores in Argentina]," MPRA Paper 56421, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Gregorio Gimenez & Denisa Ciobanu & Beatriz Barrado, 2021. "A Proposal of Spatial Measurement of Peer Effect through Socioeconomic Indices and Unsatisfied Basic Needs," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-20, May.
    5. Laura Cavalli & Alessandro Bucciol & Paolo Pertile & Veronica Polin & Nicola Sartor & Alessandro Sommacal, 2012. "Modelling life-course decisions for the analysis of interpersonal and intrapersonal redistribution," Working Papers 25/2012, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    6. Engzell, Per, 2017. "What Do Books in the Home Proxy For? A Cautionary Tale," Working Paper Series 1/2016, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    7. Murat Marina, 2012. "Do Immigrant Students Succeed? Evidence from Italy and France," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, September.
    8. Marina Murat, 2011. "Do immigrant students succeed? Evidence from Italy and France based on PISA 2006," Department of Economics 0670, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    9. Agasisti, Tommaso & Cordero-Ferrera, Jose M., 2013. "Educational disparities across regions: A multilevel analysis for Italy and Spain," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 1079-1102.
    10. Marina Murat & Davide Ferrari & Patrizio Frederic, 2012. "Immigrant students and educational systems. Cross-country evidence from PISA 2006," Department of Economics 0683, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    11. Javed Iqbal & Abdul Majeed Khan & Muhammad Nisar, 2020. "Impact of Differentiated Instruction on Student Learning: Perception of Students and Teachers," Global Regional Review, Humanity Only, vol. 5(1), pages 364-375, March.
    12. Contreras, Dante & Brante, Miguel & Espinoza, Sebastian & Zuñiga, Isabel, 2020. "The effect of the integration of students with special educational needs: Evidence from Chile," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    peer heterogeneity; peer effects; schooling tracking; educational production function.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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