View in EDS

Types of Tracking and Upward Mobility: Causal Effects on (Social Inequality in) Educational Attainment in the Netherlands

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Types of Tracking and Upward Mobility: Causal Effects on (Social Inequality in) Educational Attainment in the Netherlands
Language: English
Authors: Per Bles (ORCID 0000-0002-2612-2028), Melline Somers, Katarina Weßling
Source: European Journal of Education. 2026 61(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Educational Attainment, Foreign Countries, Track System (Education), Secondary School Students, Student Characteristics, Socioeconomic Status, Social Mobility, Educational Certificates
Geographic Terms: Netherlands
DOI: 10.1111/ejed.70451
ISSN: 0141-8211
1465-3435
Abstract: In contrast with other early-tracking education systems, schools in the Dutch system can provide several combinations of school tracks during the first years of secondary school. We study how the attended type of track(s) affects students' chances of obtaining a pre-academic school certificate. Our target group is students just below the margin of entering the pre-academic track. We differentiate between strict tracking and two forms of mixed tracking, including either one pre-academic track (partly mixed) or both pre-academic tracks (broadly mixed). We examine whether our target group obtains a pre-academic degree directly or indirectly via stacking certificates. We use an instrumental variable (IV) approach to estimate causal effects. Our results show that students' are more likely to obtain a pre-academic certificate when they attend mixed tracks that allow for upward mobility, i.e., comprise a pre-academic track. High-SES students are more likely to attain a pre-academic certificate indirectly via stacking certificates. We conclude that our nuanced analysis contributes towards a better understanding of the causal effects of tracking on individual student outcomes. The downward trend in mixed tracks in the Netherlands should, from an attainment perspective, be encouraged to be reversed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1498029
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1498029
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Types of Tracking and Upward Mobility: Causal Effects on (Social Inequality in) Educational Attainment in the Netherlands
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Per+Bles%22">Per Bles</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2612-2028">0000-0002-2612-2028</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melline+Somers%22">Melline Somers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Katarina+Weßling%22">Katarina Weßling</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 61(1).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 23
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Track+System+%28Education%29%22">Track System (Education)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+Status%22">Socioeconomic Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Mobility%22">Social Mobility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Certificates%22">Educational Certificates</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Netherlands%22">Netherlands</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/ejed.70451
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0141-8211<br />1465-3435
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: In contrast with other early-tracking education systems, schools in the Dutch system can provide several combinations of school tracks during the first years of secondary school. We study how the attended type of track(s) affects students' chances of obtaining a pre-academic school certificate. Our target group is students just below the margin of entering the pre-academic track. We differentiate between strict tracking and two forms of mixed tracking, including either one pre-academic track (partly mixed) or both pre-academic tracks (broadly mixed). We examine whether our target group obtains a pre-academic degree directly or indirectly via stacking certificates. We use an instrumental variable (IV) approach to estimate causal effects. Our results show that students' are more likely to obtain a pre-academic certificate when they attend mixed tracks that allow for upward mobility, i.e., comprise a pre-academic track. High-SES students are more likely to attain a pre-academic certificate indirectly via stacking certificates. We conclude that our nuanced analysis contributes towards a better understanding of the causal effects of tracking on individual student outcomes. The downward trend in mixed tracks in the Netherlands should, from an attainment perspective, be encouraged to be reversed.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1498029
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1498029
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/ejed.70451
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 23
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Track System (Education)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic Status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Mobility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Certificates
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Netherlands
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Types of Tracking and Upward Mobility: Causal Effects on (Social Inequality in) Educational Attainment in the Netherlands
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Per Bles
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Melline Somers
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Katarina Weßling
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0141-8211
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1465-3435
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 61
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: European Journal of Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1