The effect of free primary school choice on ethnic groups ¡ª Evidence from a policy reform

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• 作者：Kerstin Schneider ; Claudia Schuchart ; Horst Weishaupt ; Andrea Riedel
• 关键词：I20 ; H75 ; J15
• 刊名：European Journal of Political Economy
• 出版年：2012
• 出版时间：December, 2012
• 年：2012
• 卷：28
• 期：4
• 页码：430-444
• 全文大小：507 K

文摘

In 2008, school catchment areas were abolished in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the most populous German federal state. Critics have argued that free school choice will lead to increased segregation and educational disparities. The data used is from Wuppertal, a major city in NRW. Since the Turkish population is the largest minority in Germany, but also one of the least integrated, the focus of this paper is on the effect of the new school law on the school choice of Turkish (Muslim) versus non-Turkish (non-Muslim) families. Free school choice has led, in fact, to increased choice on the part of both advantaged and (to a lesser extent) disadvantaged families. Motives behind choice include proximity and the academic quality of the school. The effect of this increased choice on segregation is inconclusive.