Primitive flag-transitive generalized hexagons and octagons

Suppose that an automorphism group $G$ acts flag-transitively on a finite generalized hexagon or octagon \cS, and suppose that the action on both the point and line set is primitive. We show that $G$ is an almost simple group of Lie type, that is, the socle of $G$ is a simple Chevalley group.Comment: forgot to upload the appendices in version 1, and this is rectified in version 2. erased cross-ref keys in version 3. Minor revision in version 4 to implement the suggestion by the referee (new section at the end, extended acknowledgment, simpler proof for Lemma 4.2

What can go wrong will go wrong: Birthday effects and early tracking in the German school system

At the age of ten German pupils are given a secondary school track recommendation which largely determines the actual track choice. Track choice has major effects on the life course, mainly through labor market outcomes. Using data from the German PISA extension study, we analyze the effect of month of birth and thus relative age on such recommendations. We find that younger pupils are less often recommended to and actually attend Gymnasium, the most attractive track in terms of later life outcomes. Flexible enrolment and grade retention partly offset these inequalities and the relative age effect dissipates as students age.

What Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong: Birthday Effects and Early Tracking in the German School System

At the age of ten German pupils are given a secondary school track recommendation which largely determines the actual track choice. Track choice has major effects on the life course, mainly through labor market outcomes. Using data from the German PISA extension study, we analyze the effect of month of birth and thus relative age on such recommendations. We find that younger pupils are less often recommended to and actually attend Gymnasium, the most attractive track in terms of later life outcomes. Flexible enrolment and grade retention partly offset these inequalities and the relative age effect dissipates as students age.educational tracking, month of birth effects

The enterprise in testudo formation: the protection zone of legal privilege in German and US penal law

For companies legal privilege represents an essential bulwark against the state. In the case of internal investigations legal privilege is of prime importance to the companies. At crucial points of intersection the legal situation in the US differs from that of Germany. In the US, confidentiality is regarded with the aura of a Holy Grail, applying to in-house counsel and external lawyers alike. However, in Germany those privileges do not apply to in-house counsels and neither are they intended to apply to the corporate lawyer (so-called Syndikus). This is explained by Criminal Law policy arguments, which according to the author\''s opinion are not tenable. This essay represents solutions de lege lata and de lege ferenda, in order to at least include in-house lawyers (so-called Syndikus) within the scope of legal privilege. For this purpose, the author argues in favor of a partial adoption of the American way

The Effect of Central Exit Examinations on Student Achievement: Quasi-experimental Evidence from TIMSS Germany

This paper makes use of the regional variation in schooling legislation within the German secondary education system to estimate the causal effect of central exit examinations on student performance. We propose a difference-in-differences framework that exploits the quasi-experimental nature of the German TIMSS middle-school sample. The estimates show that students in federal states with central exit examinations clearly outperform students in other federal states, but that only part of the difference can be attributed to central exit examinations. Our results suggest that central examinations increase student achievement by about one third school year equivalent.education, central examinations, difference-in-differences, quasi-experiment

Teacher quality and incentives - Theoretical and empirical effects of standards on teacher quality

Applying the theory of yardstick competition to the schooling system, we show that it is optimal to have central tests of student achievement and to engage in benchmarking because it raises the quality of teaching. This is true even if teachers’ pay (defined in monetary terms) is not performance related. If teachers value reputation, and if teaching output is measured so that it becomes comparable, teachers will increase their effort. The theory is tested using the German PISA-E data. Use is made of the fact that central exams exist in some federal states of Germany but not in all. The empirical evidence suggests that central exams have a positive effect on the quality of teaching.

Teacher Quality and Incentives: Theoretical and Empirical Effects of Standards on Teacher Quality

Applying the theory of yardstick competition to the schooling system, we show that it is optimal to have central tests of student achievement and to engage in benchmarking because it raises the quality of teaching. This is true even if teachers’ pay (defined in monetary terms) is not performance related. If teachers value reputation, and if teaching output is measured so that it becomes comparable, teachers will increase their effort. The theory is tested using the German PISA-E data. Our estimates suggest that, despite the flat career profile of German teachers, the quality of teaching tends to be higher in federal states with central exams.education, teacher quality, central examinations, yardstick competition, matching