Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP3198
Authors: Giuseppe Bertola; Daniele Checchi
Abstract: This Paper discusses reforms of Italian secondary schools? curriculum and funding in light of theoretical considerations, of the experience of other countries, and of empirical evidence. We briefly review socio-economic views on the schooling system?s role in shaping the social structure and productive potential of new generations. The current structure of the Italian secondary school system lets the student population sort itself, on the basis of individuals? financial and cultural background, along both vocational versus comprehensive and public versus private dimensions. We characterize the outcome of this sorting, and its relationship to further educational experience, with a statistical analysis of a sample of University students. Not surprisingly, we find that in Italy Catholic private schools play a different role from that of their American counterparts, which have been found to improve the performance of relatively poor students. Italian confessional and other private schools appear to cater to the needs of relatively less talented students from relatively rich family backgrounds.
Keywords: education; quality; education reform
JEL Codes: I20
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| public liceo high schools (I23) | university performance (D29) |
| private confessional high schools (I23) | university performance (D29) |
| private lay high schools (I23) | university performance (D29) |
| private schools serve a remedial role (I23) | university performance of less talented students (D29) |
| family wealth (D14) | school choice (I21) |
| school choice (I21) | university performance (D29) |