Work

The Impact of Attending an Independent Upper Secondary School: Evidence from Sweden Using School Ranking Data

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: Since the 1990s, the Swedish education market has gone through a dramatic transformation due to the introduction of voucher-funded independent schools. We make use of data on school applications to condition on student preferences for independent versus public education, and estimate a positive relationship between independent upper secondary school attendance and grades, graduation rates, and post-secondary education. We however also find strong indications of more lenient grading standards in independent schools, especially in schools organized as for-profit entities and in schools with a low share of qualified teachers. Our results suggest that, although independent school attendance seems to benefit the individual students in terms of higher grades and increased transition to post-secondary studies, grade inflation in the Swedish upper secondary independent schools may be a serious problem.

Source: Economics of Education Review

DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102148

Authors: Karin Edmark, Lovisa Persson

Institutions: Stockholm University, Kristianstad University, Research Institute of Industrial Economics

Language: English

Topic: School Choice and Performance

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $1,950