Citation

Discussion Paper Details

Please find the details for DP4074 in an easy to copy and paste format below:

Full Details   |   Bibliographic Reference

Full Details

Title: The Impact of Length of the School Year on Student Performance and Earnings: Evidence from the German Short School Years

Author(s): Jörn-Steffen Pischke

Publication Date: October 2003

Keyword(s): grade repetition, human capital, length of school year, returns to schooling, term length and tracking

Programme Area(s): Labour Economics and Public Economics

Abstract: This Paper investigates how changing the length of school year, leaving the basic curriculum unchanged, affects learning and subsequent earnings. I use variation introduced by the West German short school years in 1966-7, which exposed some students to a total of about two thirds of a year less of schooling while enrolled. I show that the short school years led indeed to shorter schooling for affected students. Using comparisons across cohorts, states, and secondary school tracks, I find that the short school years increased grade repetition in primary school, but had no adverse effect on the number of students attending the highest secondary school track or earnings later in life.

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=4074

Bibliographic Reference

Pischke, J. 2003. 'The Impact of Length of the School Year on Student Performance and Earnings: Evidence from the German Short School Years'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=4074