The Effect of Age at School Entry on Educational Attainment in Germany
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Fertig, Michael
Kluve, Jochen
Abstract / Description
Determining the optimal age at which a child should enter school is a controversial topic in education policy. In particular, German policy makers, pedagogues, parents, and teachers have since long discussed whether the traditional, established age of school entry at 6 years remains appropriate. Policies of encouraging early school entry or increased consideration of a particular child's competency for school ('Schulfähigkeit') have been suggested. Using a dataset capturing children who entered school in the late 1960s through the late 1970s, a time when delaying enrolment was common, we investigate the effect of age at school entry on educational attainment for West and East Germany. Empirical results from linear probability models and matching suggest a qualitatively negative relation between the age at school entry and educational outcomes both in terms of schooling degree and probability of having to repeat a grade. These findings are likely driven by unobserved ability differences between early and late entrants. We therefore use a cut-off date rule and the corresponding age at school entry according to the regulation to instrument the actual age at school entry. The IV estimates suggest there is no effect of age at school entry on educational performance.
Keyword(s)
Schulbildung Alter Erfolg Schulbildung Alter Erfolg schooling matching instrumental variablesPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2005
Is part of series
Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;1507
Citation
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dp1507.pdfAdobe PDF - 217.14KBMD5: a65c4f4f58e3cf890df2cead9ad17460
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There are no other versions of this object.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Fertig, Michael
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Kluve, Jochen
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2022-11-17T11:02:28Z
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Made available on2008-06-30
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Made available on2015-12-01T10:32:15Z
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Made available on2022-11-17T11:02:28Z
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Date of first publication2005
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Abstract / DescriptionDetermining the optimal age at which a child should enter school is a controversial topic in education policy. In particular, German policy makers, pedagogues, parents, and teachers have since long discussed whether the traditional, established age of school entry at 6 years remains appropriate. Policies of encouraging early school entry or increased consideration of a particular child's competency for school ('Schulfähigkeit') have been suggested. Using a dataset capturing children who entered school in the late 1960s through the late 1970s, a time when delaying enrolment was common, we investigate the effect of age at school entry on educational attainment for West and East Germany. Empirical results from linear probability models and matching suggest a qualitatively negative relation between the age at school entry and educational outcomes both in terms of schooling degree and probability of having to repeat a grade. These findings are likely driven by unobserved ability differences between early and late entrants. We therefore use a cut-off date rule and the corresponding age at school entry according to the regulation to instrument the actual age at school entry. The IV estimates suggest there is no effect of age at school entry on educational performance.en
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Persistent Identifierhttps://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bsz:291-psydok-16716
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11780/1144
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8942
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Language of contenteng
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Is part ofIZA Discussion Paper Series No. 1507
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Is part of seriesForschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;1507
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Keyword(s)Schulbildungde
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Keyword(s)Alterde
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Keyword(s)Erfolgde
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Keyword(s)Schulbildungde
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Keyword(s)Alterde
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Keyword(s)Erfolgde
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Keyword(s)schoolingen
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Keyword(s)matchingen
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Keyword(s)instrumental variablesen
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleThe Effect of Age at School Entry on Educational Attainment in Germanyen
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DRO typereport
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Visible tag(s)PsyDok