The importance of external assessments: High school math and gender gaps in STEM degrees

Simon Burgess, Daniel Sloth Hauberg, Beatrice Schindler Rangvid and Hans Henrik Sievertsen

Economics of Education Review, 2022, vol. 88, issue C

Abstract: We exploit the random allocation to a semi-external assessment in Math (SEAM) at the end of high school in Denmark to test the effect of SEAM on subsequent enrollment and graduation in post-secondary education. We find that SEAM in high school reduces the gender gap in graduation from post-secondary STEM degrees, and we discuss possible mechanisms. Our results show that cancelling external assessments, as was temporarily implemented in many regions during the COVID-19 pandemic, may impact gender differences in human capital accumulation in the long run.

Keywords: Assessments; Gender; STEM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 I24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:88:y:2022:i:c:s0272775722000437

DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102267

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