Abstract

This paper proposes two related measures of educational inequality: one for educational achievement and another for educational opportunity. The former is the simple variance (or standard deviation) of test scores. Its selection is informed by consideration of two measurement issues that have typically been overlooked in the literature: the implications of the standardization of test scores for inequality indices, and the possible sample selection biases arising from the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) sampling frame. The measure of inequality of educational opportunity is given by the share of the variance in test scores that is explained by pre-determined circumstances. Both measures are computed for the 57 countries in which PISA surveys were conducted in 2006. Inequality of opportunity accounts for up to 35 percent of all disparities in educational achievement. It is greater in (most of) continental Europe and Latin America than in Asia, Scandinavia, and North America. It is uncorrelated with average educational achievement and only weakly negatively correlated with per capita gross domestic product. It correlates negatively with the share of spending in primary schooling, and positively with tracking in secondary schools. Document type: Book

Abstract

Im Vertrag von Maastricht sind Bildung und Kultur als Bereiche identifiziert, welche in die Verantwortlichkeit der Europäischen Union einbezogen sind. Diese Kompetenz geht weit über die früheren Regelungen hinaus, welche die berufliche Bildung im Rahmen der Maßnahmen betrafen, die auf die Förderung von wirtschaftlichem Fortschritt und Mobilität zielten. Die neuen Bestimmungen sind zwar eingeschränkt durch das Prinzip der "Subsidiarität" zugunsten der traditionellen nationalen Vorrechte, zugleich aber weisen sie auf die Bedeutung der "Europäischen Dimension" hin, die in den nationalen Bildungssystemen entwickelt werden soll, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Sprachenerwerbs. Darüber hinaus müssen die jüngsten politischen Entscheidungen sowohl auf Europas "kulturelles Erbe" als auch auf die Herausforderungen bezogen werden, welche durch laufende Trends und vorhersehbare Perspektiven ausgelöst sind, und zwar in Wirtschaft, Ökologie, Technologie und allgemeiner Politik; in diesem Zusammenhang gebührt der Zunahme staatenübergreifender Migrationen und der Notwendigkeit einer Förderung interkultureller Erziehung besondere Aufmerksamkeit. Das deutsche Bildungswesen ist grundsätzlich auf die Annahme dieser Herausforderungen nicht schlecht vorbereitet. Dies widerspricht nicht der These, daß es sich an einem Wendepunkt befindet. (DIPF/Orig.) In the Treaty of Maastricht education and culture have been identified as areas to be included in the responsibility of the European Union. This engagement goes far beyond the previous regulations concerning vocational education within the measures aimed at promoting economic progress and mobility. It is true that the new regulations are distinctly restricted by the principle of "subsidiarity" in favour of traditional national privileges. However, they signal the significance of the "European dimension" to be developed in the national education systems with special regard to the promotion of language acquirement. Moreover, the recent political decisions must be related to Europe's "cultural heritage" as weIl as to the challenges caused by current trends and foreseeable perspectives in the areas of economy, ecology, technology and general politics; in this context the increase of cross-national migrations and the need for promoting intercultural education must be given particular attention. In principle, education in Germany is not badly prepared for meeting these challenges which does not contradict its crossroads position nevertheless. (DIPF/ Orig.) Document type: Part of book or chapter of book