Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/140618 
Year of Publication: 
1-Apr-2016
Series/Report no.: 
UC3M WP Economic Series No. 16-06
Publisher: 
Universidad Carlos III, Madrid
Abstract: 
This paper exploits a unique universal educational policy - implemented in most German states between 2001 and 2008 - that compressed the academic-track high school curriculum into a (one year) shorter time span, thereby increasing time of instruction and share of curriculum taught per grade. Using 2000-2012 PISA data and a quasi-experimental approach, I estimate the impacts of this intensified curriculum on cognitive skills. I find robust evidence that the reform improved, on average, the reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy skills acquired by academic-track ninth graders upon treatment. However, I also provide evidence that the reform widened the gap in student performance with respect to parental migration background and student ability. Finally, although the reform did not affect, on average, high school grade retention, I find that the latter increased for students with parental migration background. Taken together, these findings suggest that moving to a compressed high-school curriculum did not compromise and benefited, on average, students' cognitive skills. However, they also raise equity concerns that policy-makers should be aware of.
Subjects: 
G8 reform
Intensified curriculum
Instruction time
Learning intensity
Cognitive skills
Academic-track high school
Grade retention
Remedial education
JEL: 
I21
I28
D04
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
URL of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc-nd Logo
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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