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

Taxing Mobile Capital with Labor Market Imperfections

Taxing internationally mobile factors of production has been dismissed as an inefficient means of raising tax revenue. This paper addresses the question of whether it is efficient to tax capital at source when labor markets and the taxation of lumpsum income suffer from imperfections. Four reasons for taxing capital are identified: (i) institutional constraints rendering any taxation of profit income infeasible; (ii) market power in the demand for labor; (iii) market power in the supply of labor if it increases with the employment of capital; (iv) unemployment benefits that are not tied to net real wages. It is argued that the case for taxing capital is not particularly strong. By reinterpreting capital as energy the results are applicable to the discussion about ecological tax reforms.Optimal taxation, factor mobility, labor market imperfections, ecological tax reform

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

Possibilities and limitations of protein supply in organic poultry and pig production

Organic poultry and pig production has to face severe restrictions in the availability of feedstuffs of high quality protein. The objective of the project was to assess by meta-analysis of the literature whether the restrictions can be compensated by others measures without jeopardizing the goal of a high level of product- and process-related quality. Calculations showed that, in general, it is possible to formulate diets for poultry and pigs without the use of non-organic feedstuffs. However, there is a huge variation between farms on the local, regional or national level in their ability to provide organic diets. Several measures are outlined that are at the organic farmer's disposal to adapt to the restricted availability of high protein feedstuffs. The risk of the occurrence of diseases and welfare problems in organic livestock production due to suboptimal nutrient provision by the farmer is compa-rably low, and can be handled by a proper manage-ment. Intensification of meat production, however, encloses a system-related increase in the risks of animal health disorders. From the animal health and welfare point of view, organic farming should be protected towards the negative side effects of an intensified meat production by setting limits with respect to the intensification process

Die Struktur kollektiver Lohnverhandlungen und Auslandsdirektinvestitionen in der OECD

In diesem Beitrag wird der Einfluß der Struktur kollektiver Lohnverhandlungen auf ausfließende Direktinvestitionen analysiert. Verwendet werden Daten von 19 OECD-Ländern für die Jahre 1980, 1990 und 1994. Der Zentralisations- und der Koordinationsgrad der Lohnverhandlungen haben einen signifikanten Einfluß auf die Höhe der Auslandsdirektinvestitionen. Je dezentraler bzw. unkoordinierter die Lohnverhandlungen sind, desto höher sind die Direktinvestitionen im Ausland. Das Ergebnis verwirft die These, daß Lohnverhandlungen auf Firmenebene ausfließende Direktinvestitionen reduzieren. Die Studie zeigt außerdem, daß die Gewerkschaftsdichte, der Tarifbindungsgrad sowie die Lohnkosten keinen signifikanten Einfluß auf Auslandsdirektinvestitionen haben

Im Frühjahr geborene Kinder haben schlechtere Bildungschancen

Die Empfehlungen von Grundschulen für den Besuch einer weiterführenden Schule haben einen großen Einfl uss auf die weiteren Bildungs- und späteren Erwerbschancen von Kindern. Bildungsforscher weisen seit längerem darauf hin, dass die Zuordnung der Schülerinnen und Schüler zu den verschiedenen Schultypen gegenwärtig zu früh erfolgt, die Prognosen unnötig fehlerbehaftet sind und dass die Empfehlungen der Grundschulen Kinder aus sozial be nachteiligten Gesellschaftsschichten diskriminieren. Die fehlende Chancengleichheit ist aber nicht nur auf soziale Ungleichheit zurückzuführen. Vielmehr hängen die Bildungschancen im bestehenden Schulsystem auch erheblich vom Geburtsmonat ab. Kinder, die kurz nach dem für die Einschulung relevanten Stichtag geboren werden, sind bei ihrer Einschulung fast ein Jahr älter als solche, die kurz vor dem Stichtag geboren werden. Dieser Altersunterschied ist mit einer um 8 Prozentpunkte höheren Wahrscheinlichkeit verbunden, in der vierten Klasse eine "Gymnasialempfehlung" zu erhalten. Vor diesem Hintergrund besteht Handlungsbedarf. Kurzfristig könnte die Berücksichtigung der altersbereinigten Leistungsfähigkeit einen Ansatzpunkt bieten. Langfristig stellt sich die Frage, ob das Festhalten am bestehenden gegliederten Schulsystem sinnvoll ist.

Dynamische Lohneffekte beruflicher Weiterbildung

In diesem Beitrag schätzen wir mit Daten des SOEP die Rendite beruflicher Weiterbildung "on the job" für westdeutsche Arbeitnehmer in den Jahren 1984-2000. Um der Möglichkeit einer nicht zufälligen Teilnahme an beruflicher Weiterbildung Rechnung zu tragen, verfolgen wir verschiedene methodische Ansätze: Zum einen schätzen wir Lohnregressionen mit Hausman-Taylor bzw. Fixed Growth Modellen, zum anderen verwenden wir einen Matching-Ansatz. Die Ergebnisse unserer Schätzungen zeigen zwar meist positive Effekte der Weiterbildung, diese sind jedoch in aller Regel statistisch nicht signifikant.