This is a past event
Chiara Pastore is a PhD student in the Department of Economics and Related Studies at the University of York. She is interested in econometric methods for policy evaluation and in the determinants of socioeconomic inequalities in health. Her current work focuses on the impact of educational policy on health behaviours and health. Chiara is a former summer intern at HERU. Note that a sandwich lunch will be available at the seminar from 12.00.
The title of the presentation is: Human capital consequences of missing out on a grammar school education.
Abstract: A policy that allocates school places to pupils on the basis of ability should level out the playing field for talented children regardless of background. Yet, this argument disregards the fact that pupils with a more favourable background are also more likely to do better in entry tests, reproducing existing advantage and undermining the egalitarian objectives of the policy. This paper disentangles the effect of selection into an academic (rather than vocational) track from that of individual background on human capital accumulation over the life course. The identification strategy relies on a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, based on comparing outcomes for individuals close to entry score cutffs for grammar schools, selective secondary schools in England. We find that for the marginal student, grammar attendance positively affects educational attainment, likely due to higher-ability peers, while labour market outcomes, health and risk of developing disease in adulthood are not affected. Instead, a large portion of the observed differences in human capital between pupils who attended different types of school can be traced back to their pre-secondary schooling ability and family background.
- Hosted by
- Verity Watson
- Venue
- Rm1:029, Polwarth Building