What Are the Causes of Educational Inequality and of Its Evolution over Time in Europe? Evidence from PISA

Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals

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Evidence; Equal Education; Etiology; Educational Development; Scores; Academic Achievement; Achievement Rating; Background; Institutional Characteristics; Educational Change; Outcome Measures; Standardized Tests; International Education; Comparative Education; Comparative Testing; Comparative Analysis; Educational Policy; Performance Based Assessment; Statistical Data; Data Analysis; Regression (Statistics); Gender Differences; Predictor Variables; Elementary Secondary Education; Educational Assessment; Educational Indicators; Foreign Countries; Grade 8; Grade 9; Grade 10; Grade 11

France; Germany; Greece; Italy; Portugal; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom (Great Britain)

10.1080/09645292.2012.736475

0964-5292

This paper provides evidence on the sources of differences in inequality in educational scores and their evolution over time in four European countries. Using Programme for International Student Assessment data from the 2000 and the 2006 waves, the paper shows that inequality decreased in Germany and Spain (two "decentralised" schooling systems), whilst it increased in France and Italy (two "centralised" systems). The decomposition exercise shows that educational inequality not only does reflect the background related inequality, but also schools' characteristics especially. These characteristics are responsible for the observed evolution over time of inequality.

As Provided

28

2014

EJ1047818