TY  - GEN
TI  - Educational reform, ability and family background
KW  - JEL classification: H52
KW  -  I21
KW  -  I28
KW  -  J24
KW  -  J31. Human capital
KW  -  evaluation of education reform
KW  -  comprehensive schools
KW  -  compulsory schooling
KW  -  earnings
KW  -  administrative data
KW  -  differences in differences
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1920/wp.ifs.2004.0410
AV  - public
SN  - 1742-0415
ID  - discovery2895
CY  - London, UK
T3  - IFS Working Papers
Y1  - 2004/05//
PB  - Institute for Fiscal Studies
A1  - Meghir, C.
A1  - Palme, M.
N2  - In this paper we evaluate the impact of a major school reform, that took place in the 1950s in Sweden, on educational attainment and earnings. The reform, which has many common elements with reforms in other European countries including the UK, consisted of increasing compulsor schooling, imposing a national curriculum and abolishing selection by ability into Academic and non-academic streams at the age of 12 (comprehensive school reform). Our data combines survey data with administrative sources. We find that the reform increased both the educational attainment and the earnings of children whose fathers had just compulsory education. However the earnings of those with educated parents declined - possibly because of a dilution of quality at the top end of the education levels. The overall effect of the reform was however positive.
ER  -