Educational Disparities Before and After the Transition from Primary to Secondary School in Germany: BiKS-8-18 Results on Differences in Children’s School Outcomes and Decision-Making Processes

Abstract

AbstractUsing data from BiKS-8-18 longitudinal cohort from Bavaria and Hesse, BiKS Project 5 focused on analyzing disparate educational trajectories and outcomes among students 8-18 years old. Applying Boudon’s (1974) theoretical distinction between primary and secondary effects of social origin, this chapter summarizes the results of the influence of social origin, social relations, and intra- and extrafamilial support on different dimensions of success at school, including competencies, grades, and school self-concept. The empirical findings demonstrate the centrality of intra-family and family-school relationships before and even after the transition to secondary school and the limited opportunities in Germany to correct earlier educational decisions in secondary school. The project also involved investigating the educational decision-making processes of parents (and older students) from different social backgrounds and teachers before and after the transition from primary to secondary school to shed light on Boudon’s secondary effects of social origin. In particular, the dynamic impacts of parental aspirations and the family’s social capital, educational costs, and probabilities of success on early tracking decisions were examined and proved to be relevant, albeit not for all social groups and situations.