Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/120874 
Year of Publication: 
1-Jun-2015
Series/Report no.: 
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Working Paper Economic Series No. 15-06
Publisher: 
Universidad Carlos III, Madrid
Abstract: 
I exploit a unique educational policy - implemented in most German states between 2001 and 2007 - that reduced high school duration by one year while keeping its curriculum unaltered to investigate how the resulting increase in learning intensity affected student achievement. Using 2000-2009 PISA data and a difference-in-differences approach, I find robust evidence that the reform significantly improved the reading, mathematics, and science literacy skills acquired by academic-track high school students upon treatment. A more direct estimate of the effects of the increased learning intensity - as measured by the cumulative weekly number of instructional hours delivered in high school grades - corroborates the latter finding. Furthermore, there is some evidence that the effects of the reform differ by gender and grade retention. Finally, I find no evidence of a significant average effect of the reform on high school grade retention, although I do find that the latter increased significantly for boys and for students with a migration background.
Subjects: 
G8
Learning intensity
Instructional hours
Student achievement
Academic-track high school
Difference-in-Differences
JEL: 
I21
I28
D04
URL of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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