The Dynamics of the Racial Test Score Gap During the School Years in Britain

(2006) - Eleonora Patacchini, Yves Zenou

Journal: Research Institute of Industrial Economics
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Tags:: #paper #NCDS #Ethnicity #Attainment
Cite Key:: [@patacchiniDynamicsRacialTest2006]

Abstract

We investigate the racial gap in test scores between black and white students in Britain both in levels and differences across the school years. We find that there is an increasing racial gap in test scores between ages 7 and 11, and a decreasing one between ages 11 and 16. The importance of racial differences in parental engagement in children’s schooling in shaping this racial gap and its evolution is uncovered. We find that a non-negligible part of the racial test score gap can be explained by these cultural differences. In particular, we show that if black parents would invest in education of their 11 year-old children as much as white parents do, then the racial test score gap in reading and mathematics would be reduced by 16.5 and 7.3 percent, respectively.

Notes

“e find that there is an increasing racial gap in test scores between ages 7 and 11, and a decreasing one between ages 11 and 16” (Patacchini and Zenou, 2006, p. 1)