Report

Children's School Placement in Germany: Does Kindergarten Attendance Matter?

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Spiess, C. Katharina
Büchel, Felix
Wagner, Gert G.

Abstract / Description

The positive effects of early childhood programs on children's school success have been demonstrated in the literature. However, most studies were completed in the U.S.A., where early childhood programs vary widely, based on differing auspice, regulation, cost, and other factors. In European countries, early childhood programs are generally far more homogenous. This is particularly true for Germany where most programs are communitybased Kindergartens operated under similar structural conditions. In this study we examine the relationship between Kindergarten attendance and the 7th grade school placement of children in West Germany, differentiating associations for the children of German citizens as compared to those of immigrants. Using information from a representative population sample, the German-Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), different models were estimated. The results indicate that there is no significant correlation between Kindergarten attendance of children of German citizens and children's later school placement. However, for children in immigrant households the reverse is true: later school placement is significantly associated with Kindergarten attendance prior to school enrollment. Additionally, the analysis shows that controlling for Kindergarten attendance changes the level of significance for other well-known 'school attainment determinants,' such as fathers' education and household income.

Keyword(s)

Kindergarten Schule Einwanderer Kindergarten Schule Einwanderer kindergarten school placement immigrants

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2003

Is part of series

Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;722

Citation

  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Spiess, C. Katharina
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Büchel, Felix
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Wagner, Gert G.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2022-11-17T11:02:40Z
  • Made available on
    2008-06-30
  • Made available on
    2015-12-01T10:32:15Z
  • Made available on
    2022-11-17T11:02:40Z
  • Date of first publication
    2003
  • Abstract / Description
    The positive effects of early childhood programs on children's school success have been demonstrated in the literature. However, most studies were completed in the U.S.A., where early childhood programs vary widely, based on differing auspice, regulation, cost, and other factors. In European countries, early childhood programs are generally far more homogenous. This is particularly true for Germany where most programs are communitybased Kindergartens operated under similar structural conditions. In this study we examine the relationship between Kindergarten attendance and the 7th grade school placement of children in West Germany, differentiating associations for the children of German citizens as compared to those of immigrants. Using information from a representative population sample, the German-Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), different models were estimated. The results indicate that there is no significant correlation between Kindergarten attendance of children of German citizens and children's later school placement. However, for children in immigrant households the reverse is true: later school placement is significantly associated with Kindergarten attendance prior to school enrollment. Additionally, the analysis shows that controlling for Kindergarten attendance changes the level of significance for other well-known 'school attainment determinants,' such as fathers' education and household income.
    en
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bsz:291-psydok-16801
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11780/1136
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8954
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Is part of
    IZA Discussion Paper Series No. 722
  • Is part of series
    Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;722
  • Keyword(s)
    Kindergarten
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Schule
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Einwanderer
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Kindergarten
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Schule
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Einwanderer
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    kindergarten
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    school placement
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    immigrants
    en
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Children's School Placement in Germany: Does Kindergarten Attendance Matter?
    en
  • DRO type
    report
  • Visible tag(s)
    PsyDok