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Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences

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A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 41475

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Prof. Dr. Regula Julia Leemann

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Sociology of Education, University of Teacher Education - University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Hofackerstrasse 30, CH-4132 Basel-Muttenz, Switzerland
Interests: sociology of education; educational governance; transformation of educational institutions; educational trajectories; educational inequalities (gender, social origin); vocational education and training (VET); educational organisations; sociology of conventions

Prof. Dr. Irene Kriesi

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Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Research and Development, Kirchlindachstrasse 79, CH-3052 Zollikofen, Switzerland
Interests: sociology of education and the labour market with a special focus on vocational education and training, educational systems, life course development and social inequality, gender inequalities; quantitative data analysis; adolescence, young adults

Prof. Dr. Rita Nikolai

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Guest Editor

Philosophisch-Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät, University of Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 2, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany
Interests: education politics (Germany, England, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Austria); role of political parties and teacher unions in the reform of education systems; development of private schools; educational inequality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research about regional disparities in education within nation states and their consequences for equity and inequality in education have a long tradition in education sciences. Many OECD countries started in the 1960s with the expansion of educational services in regions with underdeveloped infrastructures. In particular, programs in upper secondary education were extended to reduce inequalities between rural and urban areas as well as to increase the educational opportunities of children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and for girls. As a result, differences between rural and urban spaces became less evident. Nevertheless, the place of residence and the living conditions are still decisive for educational attainment. Educational disparities are partly due to regionally diverging supplies of educational and training programs, differing admission regulations in federal education systems, segregated neighborhoods, the dismantling of educational infrastructures in rural areas or the expansion of private schooling in urban areas. Regional disparities in education are also caused by differences in the supply and the characteristics of educational programs targeted at students with disabilities and for students with a migration history. However, it is remarkable that (1) less attention has been given to social–historic, cultural, and economic factors that bring forth and structure regional disparities in education. Hardly considered are also (2) educational policies, governance processes, and public justifications causing or reducing such disparities, as well as (3) the long-term consequences for educational equity, life-long learning, the development of regional and national labor markets, democratic culture, and social cohesion at a national, regional, or even local level. It remains an open research question how regional disparities are linked with urban developments, school development plans, business development, and even consequences for the individual life course.

We welcome papers addressing the described research gaps from different disciplines, including education sciences, sociology, political sciences, or economics of education. Papers may focus on a selected country and its disparities in education at regional or even local levels. They may also analyze origins, governance, and consequences of regional disparities between different countries.

Proposals may focus both on theoretical or empirical questions, applying qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods.

Please submit your manuscript proposal (in WORD- and PDF-format) of max. 400 words and 2-4 references by February 28^th2021 to regula.leemann@fhnw.ch; irene.kriesi@ehb.swiss; rita.nikolai@phil.uni-augsburg.de

15 March 2021: Information on acceptance of the proposal

15 September 2021: Deadline full paper

References:

Bartl, W./ Sackmann, R. (2016): Governance Indicators and Responsiveness to Population Decline: School Closure as Practice and Discourse in Saxony-Anhalt. In: Comparative Population Studies 41, pp. 321-358.

Freitag, M. / Schlicht, R. (2009): Educational Federalism in Germany: Foundations of Social Inequality in Education. In: Governance: An International Journal of Policy, Administration, and Institutions, (22/1), pp. 47–72).

Verdis, A./ Kalogeropoulos, K./ Chalkias, C. (2019). Regional disparities in access to higher education in Greece. In: Research in Comparative & International Education, 14(2), pp. 318–335.

Prof. Dr. Regula Julia Leemann
Prof. Dr. Irene Kriesi
Prof. Dr. Rita Nikolai
Guest Editors

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Keywords

regional disparities in education
regional inequalities
governance
educational policies
educational supply
educational equity
social inequality
development of regional education systems

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

7 pages, 204 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences (Special Issue)

by Rita Nikolai, Irene Kriesi and Regula Julia Leemann

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12050319 - 02 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1875

Abstract

Research about regional disparities in education within nation-states and their consequences for equity and inequality has a long tradition in education sciences [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

21 pages, 1528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regional and Ethnic Disparities of School-to-Work Transitions in Bulgaria

by Christian Imdorf, Petya Ilieva-Trichkova, Rumiana Stoilova, Pepka Boyadjieva and Alexander Gerganov

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12040233 - 23 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3665

Abstract

Bulgaria’s educational and economic landscapes are marked by substantial regional disparities that are interlaced with ethnic inequalities in school-to-work transitions. Young adults from Roma and Turkish origins particularly suffer from disadvantages with respect to education and labour market participation. We ask how ethnicity affects labour market entry in Bulgaria once educational resources of different ethnic groups are accounted for, and how regional contexts impact ethnic disparities in employment insecurities. Building on comparative school-to-work transition (STWT) concepts and on the labour queueing approach, we assume that ethnic disparities in the STWTs of youths in Bulgaria depend on the degree of urbanisation and the strength and structure of the regional economy. The study draws on data from the Bulgarian School Leaver Survey 2014 of 2103 young adults who had left education in the five years preceding the survey. Descriptive analysis and multilevel logistic regression models were applied to analyse STWT patterns with a special focus on education, regional contexts, and ethnicity. The results highlight that STWT risks differ considerably across the Bulgarian regions. The strength of the local economy thereby moderates ethnic disparities. Young people from Roma and Turkish origins are much less disadvantaged to transition towards employment compared to ethnic Bulgarians the stronger the local economy gets. Our study has several policy implications. In addition to the development of public and private employment opportunities for disadvantaged young people, special attention should also be paid to the development of quality vocational education at the national and regional level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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27 pages, 2080 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Access to Baccalaureate School in Switzerland: Regional Variance of Institutional Conditions and Its Consequences for Educational Inequalities

by Regula Julia Leemann, Andrea Pfeifer Brändli and Christian Imdorf

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030213 - 16 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3020

Abstract

In Switzerland, baccalaureate school is still considered to be the royal road to a university education and the elite path for the social reproduction of the upper class. However, cantonal enrollment to baccalaureate school varies widely due to Swiss federalism. There is a recurring debate on whether access to baccalaureate school is fair and equal among pupils who live in different cantons and who are of different social origin. This paper aims to analyze how the institutional conditions of cantons and municipalities impact a pupil’s probability of entering baccalaureate school and how the cantonal provisioning of places in baccalaureate school affects social inequality of access. For our theoretical foundation, we combine concepts of neo-institutionalism with mechanisms of social reproduction in education. Empirically, we analyze national longitudinal register data to model educational transitions from compulsory to baccalaureate school by using logistic regression models. Our results show that institutional structures at the cantonal and municipal levels influence the probability of transition beyond individual pupils’ characteristics. The degree of inequality varies between cantons, depending on the supply of baccalaureate school places. Inequality first increases with an increasing number of places (the scissors effect) and decreases only after the demand of more privileged families for places at baccalaureate school is saturated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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19 pages, 629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Entry into and Completion of Vocational Baccalaureate School in Switzerland: Do Differences in Regional Admission Regulations Matter?

by Miriam Hänni, Irene Kriesi and Jörg Neumann

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030188 - 08 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2048

Abstract

Upper secondary education in Switzerland is divided into a general and a vocational path. Approximately two thirds of adolescents attend the vocational path. The initial vocational education and training (IVET) can be combined with a federal vocational baccalaureate (FVB), which enables graduates to enter universities of applied sciences. The proportion of FVB holders varies considerably between Swiss regions. We study how admission regulations affect regional entry and graduation rates and how they interact with individual characteristics. We use longitudinal register data from the Federal Statistical Office to study individuals’ chances of pursuing and obtaining a vocational baccalaureate in combination with data about cantonal admission criteria to vocational baccalaureate schools. We find that higher admission barriers reduce individuals’ chances of pursuing a vocational baccalaureate, particularly among apprentices with low socio-economic status and those who pursue an FVB after their VET diploma. Against our expectations, high admission barriers are associated not only with lower entry rates but also with lower graduation rates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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31 pages, 1147 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Drives Regional Disparities in Educational Expansion: School Reform, Modernization, or Social Structure?

by Marcel Helbig and Norbert Sendzik

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030175 - 02 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3271

Abstract

The aim of this study is to empirically investigate the reasons for regional disparities in educational expansion in Germany (i.e., rising rates of general university entrance qualification) on the basis of theoretically relevant influencing factors: changes in school policies, changes in social structure, or general social modernization processes. We pay special attention to the legal framework of schools, which has changed at different times in the German states. Our analysis is based on data from the National Educational Panel Study and on a database on the development of schooling regulations in the German states after World War II. For the analysis, we use two-way crossed random-effects models. Our analyses show that the modernization of school structures is only associated with increasing individual opportunities to access higher school education. However, this association disappears when controlling for social structure and cohort sequence. Rather, the educational expansion of the recent decades is characterized by a changed social structure and, in small parts, by general social modernization processes. In light of our findings, we argue that educational policy adapts school structures to societal changes, opens up new opportunities, yet at the same time reproduces and exacerbates educational inequality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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23 pages, 884 KiB

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Governing Spatial Disparities in School Infrastructure by Numbers: Investments in Form, Tensions, New Compromises?

by Walter Bartl

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030167 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2528

Abstract

Given that education infrastructure has been a crucial element of the infrastructural power of the welfare state, surprisingly little is known about how spatial disparities in school infrastructure have been governed. While emphasis has recently been placed on the role of numbers in governing the education system, there have been contradictory results on the use of numbers for measuring spatial disparities in schooling on the one hand and on allocating school infrastructure by numbers on the other. What role have indicators played in the governance of regional disparities in education and how can we explain changes to this role? Assuming that indicators typically fulfil two functions in decision making processes (information gathering and allocation of resources), this article develops an ideal–typical distinction between four ways of (not) using numbers for governance purposes. This typology is applied to a historical case study of indicators as a device for governing spatial disparities in education in Germany. Cognitive investments in indicators for observing spatial disparities in education and for administering schools have been made in Germany since the early 19th century. However, conceptual flaws and conservative education policies have kept them from being put to effective practice in school infrastructure policies. It was not until the 1970s that demographic and administrative indicators became institutionalized as part of decentralized but fairly standardized school planning practices. While the use of indicators in the spatial allocation of education resources seemed to work well during periods of educational expansion, this calculative practice produced tension with the civic idea of spatial justice when enrolments declined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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14 pages, 262 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does It Make a Difference? Relations of Institutional Frameworks and the Regional Provision of Continuing Higher Education in England and Spain

by Diana Treviño-Eberhard and Katrin Kaufmann-Kuchta

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020132 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1675

Abstract

In this research, we compare interrelations between institutional settings and regional provision structures of continuing higher education (CHE) in England and Spain. The aim of the qualitative analysis is to identify and to compare country-specific linkages between national and regional policies, legal and financial regulations and their impact on providers, types of provision and target groups of CHE at the regional level. Theoretical assumptions of educational governance, environmental neo-institutionalism, and the sociology of conventions guide the analysis, based on expert interviews in England and Spain. Our research questions are: What modes of coordination of action to provide CHE are caused by national and regional regulations in England and Spain? How are these actions justified, and how do they influence regional CHE provision types and target groups in both countries? Interview-based findings show that national and regional regulations embrace hybrid modes of coordination of action regarding CHE provision in both countries. Specifically, centralised national policies in England and a mixture of centralised and decentralised legal frameworks in Spain impact regional CHE provision by universities, as does the scope of university autonomy in both countries. However, national frameworks only explain regional disparities in CHE provision to a limited extent. Less formal normative dimensions and social orders of university orientations and labour market demands also influence regional types of provision, concepts, provider cooperation, and adult CHE learners. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

18 pages, 2412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Swiss VET between National Framework and Cantonal Autonomy: A Historical Perspective

by Lorenzo Bonoli and Jackie Vorpe

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020114 - 08 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2221

Abstract

Despite the fact that the Swiss VET system has been regulated by federal laws since 1930, the 26 cantons that make up the Swiss Confederation enjoy a certain room for maneuver when implementing federal provisions at the regional level. This is reflected in sometimes significant differences between the cantons, particularly with regard to participation in dual VET. Based on a historical reconstruction of the institutionalization process of the Swiss VET system, our contribution first explains the institutional conditions under which cantonal differences are possible; secondly describes their evolution; and finally identifies the main factors which influence their appearance. In more detail, our contribution begins with a reconstruction of the development of VET in Switzerland and in three cantons (ZH, GE, TI) during the decisive period for the Swiss VET system from 1950 to 1970. This reconstruction is based firstly on a historical analysis of sources (laws, messages, statistical data, reports, brochures, press articles, etc.) published from 1880 to the present day, with particular attention to the period 1950–1970. This analysis allows us to reconstruct the process of institutionalization of the field, with emphasis on the constant tension between federal regulation and cantonal autonomy, as well as the statistical evolution of cantonal differences. In a second step, we subject the same set of sources to a discourse analysis allowing us to identify the main arguments accompanying the decision-making process in our three cantons. This latter analysis enables us to show the sometimes-subtle differences between cantonal policies and their respective conceptions of VET. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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20 pages, 1737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transition to Long-Term Baccalaureate School in Switzerland: Governance, Tensions, and Justifications

by Sandra Hafner, Raffaella Simona Esposito and Regula Julia Leemann

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020093 - 29 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3960

Abstract

In Switzerland, the baccalaureate school is an important pathway to university education, and the aspirations of families and students to enter baccalaureate school have grown. However, vocational education and training (VET) remains the predominant educational pathway and has a strong lobby. We investigate how in this context, the transition from primary education to baccalaureate school is governed and justified at the cantonal level. We study how two Swiss cantons try to meet the official or unofficial maximum baccalaureate quotas desired by educational policymakers through different selection procedures and admission criteria. Drawing on the Economics of Conventions, we conceptualize selection procedures as cantonal transition chains and show that the strategies, procedures, and instruments applied in governance are rooted in diverse principles of action. This causes tensions within cantons. Our analysis shows that agency and regulating effects in the governance of transitions must be understood as distributed among actors, technologies, and objects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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17 pages, 774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Socio-Spatial Conditions of Educational Participation: A Typology of Municipalities in the Canton of Zurich

by Sybille Bayard, Flavian Imlig and Simona Schmid

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020073 - 21 Jan 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3952

Abstract

The Canton of Zurich is characterized by strong socio-spatial polarization typical for large and dynamic metropolitan areas. A helpful way to depict spatial dimensions is spatial typologies. Existing spatial categorizations of the Canton of Zurich are limited for education because they focus primarily on economic factors, which are not the only predictors of educational behavior and success. In this paper, we develop a typology of municipalities in the Canton of Zurich that is useful for educational analyses and administrative activity. Theoretically, we consider socio-spatial structures as opportunities and constraints of the spatial and social contexts related to educational participation. We differentiate between two levels: socioeconomic composition and regional structures. The socioeconomic composition of a neighborhood is assumed to influence the way residents think and act through social interactions. Regional structures refer to the variation in the specificity and accessibility of institutional settings of the labor market, the education system, and extracurricular stimulation. The analyses are based on official statistics. We use factor analysis to identify the main components within the two levels. Their combination results in a spatial typology consisting of five types. They show significant differences in indicators of educational participation, which illustrates the relevance of the typology for the education sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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13 pages, 259 KiB

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Education and Training Regimes within the Swiss Vocational Education and Training System. A Comparison of the Cantons of Geneva, Ticino, and Zurich in the Context of Educational Expansion

by Philipp Gonon and Lena Freidorfer-Kabashi

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010020 - 30 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2629

Abstract

Swiss Vocational Education and Training (VET) is based on national legislation which was introduced in the 1930s and renewed in the 1960s (as well as in the 1970s and in 2002). At first, the goal of the national VET legislation was to further Vocational Education and Training in order to support small and medium enterprises; however, later, it also included industry and services and has more recently grown to support the learners themselves. The 1963 national legislation and the following implementation acts in the cantons were decisive in shaping the Swiss VET system from a historical and comparative perspective. We argue that still today we do not have a unified, national system of education, but rather e cantonal modes of education and also of VET. However, the cantonal actors—with a specific focus on Ticino, Geneva, and Zurich—argue with similar justifications, when it comes to the reform of VET. Nevertheless, within this national legal framework, the cantons adopt rather different solutions. The result is that different (language specific) regional pathways of VET were established, based on various education and training regimes. In this research paper, we aim to concentrate on the years from 1950 to 1970, a period that turns out to be particularly significant for the development of Swiss VET. We focus our research on the introduction of the Vocational Training Act in 1963 and look in detail at the extent to which the cantons developed their corresponding implementation acts from the perspectives of different motives and logics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

13 pages, 755 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Notion of Continuing Education in Local Education Reports in Germany—An Analysis of Regional Disparities in Topics, Data, and Governance Recommendations

by Pia Gerhards

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010015 - 29 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1434

Abstract

In Germany, continuing education (CE) is, to a large extent, controlled by municipalities (“Kommunen”). Municipalities have published an increasing number of education reports in recent years. These are intended as steering instruments for local education policy. Given that municipalities and the districts they represent differ in their structures, different challenges and opportunities associated with CE emerge. So far, it remains unclear which aspects of CE are considered by different types of municipalities in their reports and which steering potentials are seen. Based on a content analysis, we present findings on reported topics of CE, the extent of data usage, and derived recommendations for local governance. We separated four district types, showing different degrees of the dimension urban–rural. Although cities published education reports more frequently, rural districts were more likely to address CE issues. However, they had less data available, resulting in a lower range of topics and narrow overall opportunities for addressing CE. Therefore, improvement of data and accessibility of data are important to enhance the monitoring and governance of CE in municipalities. Regarding the reviewed recommendations, clear differences between district types emerged. For instance, expanding offers of CE for immigrants was mainly an issue of large cities, whereas rural districts emphasized the spatial and digital accessibility of offerings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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14 pages, 1257 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Regional Patterns of Access and Participation in Non-Formal Cultural Education in Germany

by Lea Fobel and Nina Kolleck

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010013 - 29 Dec 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2526

Abstract

(1) Background: The equality of life chances in Germany is often assessed along the lines of a west/east and urban/rural differentiation in which the latter usually perform worse. One currently popular proposal for addressing these inequalities is to strengthen cultural and arts education. The question arises to what extent regional characteristics genuinely influence participation opportunities and to what extent individual resources still play a decisive role. (2) Methods: Using descriptive analyses and multilevel logistic regression modelling, we investigate the distribution of and participation in non-formal cultural education amongst German youth. (3) Results: We find that differences are more complex than a simple west/east or urban/rural divides. Rather, cultural activities must be considered in terms of their character in order to assess the mechanisms at play. There seem to be differences in the dependency on district funding between very peripheral and very central districts that frame the cultural infrastructure. (4) Conclusions: Regional discrepancies are not uniformly distributed across different fields of education or infrastructure. Simplifying statements that classify peripheral regions the general losers can be refuted here. Simultaneously, more comprehensive data could yield significantly more results than we are currently able to produce. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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23 pages, 1581 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Paradox of State-Funded Higher Education: Does the Winner Still Take It All?

by Kaire Põder and Triin Lauri

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11120812 - 15 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2963

Abstract

Contrary to the overall tendency to increase student participation in the financing of higher education, Estonia abolished student tuition fees in 2013. We study the effects of this reform on the students’ access to and progress in higher education, concentrating mostly on the changes in probabilities of rural and remote students being admitted (extensive margin) and graduating within a nominal time (intensive margin). We distinguish between four different outcomes: admission in general, admission to vocational education, admission to high-rank curricula, and graduation within nominal time. We confirm the tendency that a high socioeconomic status increases the probability of being admitted to high-rank curricula and reduces the probability of choosing an applied curriculum, and the 2013 reform did not change that. While the reform weakly improved rural students’ tendency to graduate on time, it diminished the probability that they were admitted to high-rank curricula. So, paradoxically and contrary to the intention of the reform, higher state involvement in higher education financing has not improved the equity in university admission in Estonia in terms of either socioeconomic background or regional disparities. We claim that part of the explanation of that paradox lies in the conditionality of this reform and the combination of a scarce needs-based and a competitive merit-based student support system in Estonia. We see our broader contribution in emphasising the important role of support systems in the future analysis of the potential to improve students’ access. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regional Disparities in National Education: Origins, Governance, and Consequences)

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