Seminar "Last But (Not) Least: Aversion to the Lowest Educational Track"

Time: 13.00-14.00 hours
Location: CPB-office, Bezuidenhoutseweg 30, The Hague, room 7, Helmgraszaal

Presentation: Esmeé Zwiers (EUR)

Discussant: Aenneli Houkes-Hommes (CPB)

Language: English

Registration:  Please register here

Please bring your ID with you, and consider a waiting line. Guests who own a Rijkspas, can enter the building by filling in the following form in advance: InterDepartementale Toegang

Abstract subject:
This paper examines aversion to the lowest educational track by exploiting a Dutch educational reform introduced in 1999. The reform combined the two lowest tracks into one, implying that school tracks that were previously not the `lowest track' suddenly became the `lowest track'. This paper examines the presence of any (parental) behavioral responses as to avoid enrollment in the lowest educational track. The results show that the reform led to distortions in the school advice distribution, and that the aversion is specifically directed towards the lowest sub-tracks of the newly formed lowest educational track. School advice may be influenced by teacher assessments and high-stakes standardized test scores (Cito-scores). This paper finds an increase in test-scores after the reform, conditional on the child's background characteristics and ability. This can be explained by either increased motivation for test performance by the child, or parental investments in extra tutoring and homework assistance as an attempt to avoid enrollment in the lowest educational track.

Policy seminars
CPB organises policy seminars for policy makers, researchers and other stakeholders. These policy seminars focus on policy implications. Policy seminars are held on Thursday from 1.00 pm. to 2.00 pm.

Seminars
CPB also organises seminars for researchers. During these seminars, always held on Tuesday from 1.00 pm. to 2.00 pm., academic papers are presented and discussed.

Unsubscribe to the alert service
When you're registered for a seminar, you will be automatically invited for coming seminars. Here you can unsubscribe to this alert service (click button "verzenden"!).