The achievement gap between Roma and non-Roma students in East Central Europe and its potential causes
Year: 2013
Type: book
Abstract: This study quantifies the achievement gap between Roma and non-Roma students in East Central \nEurope and assesses the potential causes of the gap. Using the UNDP survey of 2011, the only \ncomparable data on the Roma spanning many countries, we show that the gap in the chances to \nget secondary education is substantial in all countries. When comparing young adults living with \nparents of comparable income and educational attainment, the gap drops by more than a half in \nmost countries. Using unique data from Hungary, we assess the gap in standardized test scores and \nshow that it is comparable to the size of the Black-White test score gap in the U.S.A. in the 1980’s. \nThe test score gap in Hungary is almost entirely explained by social differences in income, wealth \nand parental education, and ethnic factors do not play a significant role. We identify two major \nmechanisms by which the social disadvantages of Roma students lead to lower skills. Their home \nenvironment is less favorable for their cognitive development, and their schools are characterized \nby a lower quality educational environment. Ethnic differences in the home environment are, \nagain, explained by social differences, and ethnicity seems to play no additional role. On the other \nhand, while access to higher quality schools is strongly related to social differences, Roma students \nseem to face additional disadvantages. The results suggest that besides policies that aim at \nalleviating poverty, well-designed interventions influencing the mechanisms can also improve the \nskill development of Roma and other disadvantaged children.
Authors: Gábor Kertesi, Gábor Kézdi
Language: English
Topic: Romani and Gypsy Studies
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2325245278