This paper focuses on inequalities in learning opportunities for individuals coming from different socioeconomic
backgrounds as a measure of (in) equality of opportunity in OECD countries and looks at the
role played by policies and institutions in shaping countries’ relative positions. Based on harmonised 15-
year old students’ achievement data collected at the individual level, the empirical analysis shows that
while Nordic European countries exhibit relatively low levels of inequality, continental Europe is
characterised by high levels of inequality - in particular of schooling segregation along socio-economic
lines - while Anglo-Saxon countries occupy a somewhat intermediate position. Policies allowing
increasing social mix are found to reduce school socio-economic segregation without affecting overall
performance. Countries that emphasise childcare and pre-school institutions exhibit lower levels of
inequality of opportunity, suggesting the effectiveness of early intervention policies in reducing persistence
of education outcomes across generations. There is also a positive association between inequality of
opportunities and income inequality. As a consequence, cross-country regressions suggest that
redistributive policies can help to reduce inequalities of educational opportunities associated with socioeconomic
background and, hence, persistence of education outcomes across generations.
Equity in Student Achievement Across OECD Countries
An Investigation of the Role of Policies
Working paper
OECD Economics Department Working Papers
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