Ethnic Differences in Completion of Upper Secondary Education

Abstract

In this chapter we explore the completion of upper secondary education. The central question here is whether the high rates of ethnic minority continuation into upper secondary education lead to a closing of the attainment gaps with the majority group. The story which emerges is that there are considerable continuities over the secondary school career. Ethnic disadvantages have not cumulated, but neither have they been eliminated. Nevertheless, the picture at the end of upper secondary education is not simply a repeat of the picture at the end of lower secondary. Overall, we find that in Canada, France and the USA the ethnic penalties found in test scores at the end of lower secondary have been mitigated by the end of upper secondary, while in Sweden the movements are more likely to be in the opposite direction.