Peer effects and school design: An analysis of efficiency and equity

Lionel Perini

No 12-01, IRENE Working Papers from IRENE Institute of Economic Research

Abstract: This paper estimates educational peer effects at the lower secondary level in Switzerland where different tracking systems coexist. Using a cross-sectional survey based on standardized questionnaires, the structure and magnitude of social interactions among classmates are analyzed. The results are used to find out if grouping students in a completely non-selective way could increase efficiency and equality of opportunity. Empirical findings suggest that mixing students in reading and science classes could enhance efficiency and equity while a similar practice in mathematics courses could only improve equity without any gain in efficiency.

Keywords: Peer effects; ability tracking; family background; equality of opportunity; quantile regression. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 42 pages
Date: 2012-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-eff, nep-lab and nep-ure
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:irn:wpaper:12-01

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