The Impact of Voucher Schools: Evidence From Swedish Upper Secondary Schools

Karin Edmark, Iftikhar Hussain () and Carla Haelermans
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Iftikhar Hussain: Department of Economics, University of Sussex, http://www.sussex.ac.uk/economics/

No 3/2020, Working Paper Series from Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research

Abstract: Empirical studies investigating the impact of private voucher schools on student outcomes have focused on a number of mechanisms, including productivity and competitive effects. Arguably, the possibility that these voucher schools may provide greater variety, in terms of education options or tracks remains an understudied area. This paper exploits the rapid expansion of private academic and vocational track schools in Sweden, to address this question. We uncover new evidence that the introduction of private voucher schools induced greater vocational education participation, and not simply a substitution of public for private vocational schools. In effect, private school penetration lead to a switch away from academic tracks, including both science and social science, in favour of vocational options. We then ask what impact inducing greater participation in vocational education had on short- and medium-term outcomes, including GPA, on-time graduation from high school, university participation and field of study at university. We discuss other possible mechanisms, including changes in peer and teacher quality.

Keywords: private provision; independent schools; voucher school reform; vocational education; upper secondary education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H44 I21 I26 I28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 78 pages
Date: 2020-04-16
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-eur and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:sofiwp:2020_003

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