School Enrollment Research Articles

The gender achievement gap in grades and standardised tests-what accounts for gender inequality?

We studied the gender achievement gap in grades and standardised test scores in Finland, where the gender differences are largest among OECD countries. We compared the gender achievement gap in standardised test scores from PISA surveys and grades from high-quality school registers in literacy. Furthermore, we analysed how grades differ from standardised test scores by family background and students' SES composition of the schools. By using the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method, we explored how different characteristics between girls and boys explain gender differences in grading. Our findings indicate that boys' grades were lower than can be expected based on standardised test scores. The gender gap in grades was explained by boys' lower reading interests, effort put into schoolwork, and conscientiousness on homework. However, even adjusting for schooling characteristics and competence, boys have lower grades than test scores in schools that have low SES student composition.

Challenges faced by school mangers in implementing national school nutrition programme in the Harry Gwala District, KwaZulu-Natal

The purpose of the study was to explore challenges experienced by school mangers in their role to implement the national school nutrition programme in schools of the Harry Gwala District, in KwaZulu-Natal. This article is extracted from a Ph.D. thesis in which a qualitative research design was used with sample of school managers who participate in the school nutrition programme. Data was gathered through individual interviews and document analysis. The findings indicated that school managers experienced challenges in the implementation of the programme such as compliance of Service Providers with delivery regulation, delayed payments of Service Providers, insufficient and poor food stuff supplied by Service Providers. However, on the other hand, nutrition programme benefited learners from poor background, reduced learner absenteeism and increased school enrolment. This posed a challenge to school managers as indicated in Maslow’s theory in the hierarchy of needs that provision should be made for meals at schools if they do not receive an adequate nutrition at home. On the basis of the findings, the following challenges were faced by school management: poor infrastructural development, insufficient time allocated to feeding, communication breakdown between NSNP educators and Service Providers, none payment of Service Providers on time.

“All Hands on Deck”: The Critical Role of Non-State Actors in Basic Education in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

ABSTRACT The education landscape in low-income countries (LICs) and middle-income countries (MICs) is characterised by improving levels of school enrolments, but low levels of learning and systems performance, and critical shortfalls in education financing. In asking the question “what is the role of non-state actors in basic education in LICs and MICs?,” this article describes six features of the non-state sector landscape: (i) the non-state sector provides a large and growing share of basic education provision in LICs and MICs, (ii) this sector caters to the poor, but not to the extreme poor (nor probably should it without public subsidy), (iii) evidence on the performance of the non-state sector is mixed, (iv) Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in education are the norm rather than the exception, though regulation and PPPs are generally not done well by Governments, (v) the non-state sector has been uniquely hurt by COVID-19, but also proved to be resilient, and (vi) there are successful advocacy campaigns against the non-state sector and PPPs. Against this backdrop, we propose 10 policy measures for Governments, national actors and the international community, with a view to maximising the contribution of non-state actors to driving system-wide goals of equity, learning, and social cohesion.

Fairer schooling for a better housing environment: Effect of abolishing school zones on the housing market

Access to high-quality public education is often closely linked to residential property ownership and location in many countries, contributing to rising housing costs in areas with better educational resources. This creates challenges in housing affordability and perpetuates inequality in education access. Our study explores the effectiveness of two policies aimed at reducing the association between property ownership and access to premium public education: the "six-year-one-position" policy, which limits school enrolment to one student per property every six years, and the "multi-dicing" policy, which uses a random allocation system for student placement. While this research focuses on Beijing, China, the implications of such policies are of broader relevance to cities worldwide facing similar issues. Using a spatial difference-in-difference approach, we find that eliminating school zoning can decrease housing prices by 2.5% in areas where these policies are implemented, with reductions of 4.4%–7.9% in districts previously associated with high-ranking schools. However, the announcement of these policies triggers short-term price spikes, with increases of 2.7%–4.7%, reflecting a panic-buying effect. Moreover, we observe a spillover effect, where demand shifts from regions that abolished school zones earlier to those that implemented the policy later, as revealed by a staggered difference-in-difference analysis. These findings offer insights for policymakers in other urban contexts where educational access is intertwined with housing markets, highlighting the need for balanced strategies to address both housing affordability and equitable education access.

The meaning of segregated placements from the perspectives of people with acquired visual impairment: Focusing on posttraumatic growth and Japanese schools for the blind

Acquired visual impairment exhibits distinctive characteristics, which may include progressive impairment, along with the fundamental feature of a low incidence of visual impairment. In Japan, many with acquired visual impairment seek reintegration into society through schools for the blind. This qualitative study examined the relationship between enrolment in schools for the blind and experiences of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in people with acquired visual impairment, focusing on the role of segregated placements. Participants with acquired visual impairment ( n = 21) were selected by sampling target schools for the blind across Japan and participated in qualitative interviews that were analysed using theoretical thematic analysis, with both inductive and deductive approaches. To understand PTG in participants and the specific factors and mechanisms that produce it, PTG theory, which describes growth in five different domains, was used as a framework. The results showed that PTG in these participants was apparent in terms of ‘personal strength’, ‘new possibilities’, ‘relating to others’, and ‘appreciation of life’. The school for the blind, designated as a ‘school’ for this minor population with special provisions catering to their unique needs, appeared to play a key role in PTG. In addition, other factors such as ‘acupuncture/moxibustion/massage therapy’ introduced during enrolment, and the progressive nature of their visual impairment, also seemed to influence PTG. In essence, schools for the blind allowed respondents to meet others facing similar challenges, who provided mutual support, leading to increased PTG. These schools also serve as places to instil confidence in individuals experiencing vision loss and expand their limitations. This study suggests that schools for the blind may facilitate positive psychological changes in people with acquired visual impairment, underscoring the need for a nuanced understanding of the significance of segregated placement in fostering positive outcomes.

Lifestyle and risk of developing myopia in school children in Chongqing, China.

Myopia has emerged as a leading global reason for poor vision in children and adolescents. this study aims to investigate the influence of lifestyles on myopia in schoolchildren in Chongqing, China. This cross-sectional study was conducted on primary and junior high school graduates in Chongqing City, China. Students who came to the assigned hospital for the physical examination of their upgrade school enrollment were recruited. In addition to regular examination and eyeusing questionnaire, visual acuity and non-cycloplegic autorefraction were measured. Of all 1806 eligible students, 1,623 students (89.87%) were included in the analysis. The prevalence of myopia in elementary and junior middle school graduates was 73.1 and 81.8%, respectively. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, 1 h more homework (OR = 1.272, p = 0.032), attending out-school courses (OR = 1.973, p = 0.006), frequently checking of eyes (OR = 1.337, p = 0.015) and using eye-protecting lamp (OR = 2.528, p < 0.001) were more likely to be associated with myopia (p < 0.05). While 1 h more outdoor activity in weekday (OR = 0.811, p = 0.033) and weekend (OR = 0.796, p = 0.034) were less likely to have myopia. The current prevalence of myopia among elementary and junior high school students in Chongqing is high. Academic pressures, bad habits of using eyes, and limited time for outdoor activity mainly contribute to the epidemic of myopia. Various policies in and out of schools related to reducing academic pressures, increasing outdoor activities, and improving eye habits may help control the prevalence of myopia in teenagers.

Forecasting school enrollments in the Australian Capital Territory

Abstract School enrollment forecasts are vital for effective planning. This study introduces a probabilistic multiregional population projection model, which accounts for different components, including preschool entries, migration, grade progression, and graduations. Using different distributions with a cohort component projection and Monte Carlo simulation, this paper forecasts student enrollments for each school and academic year level in the Australian Capital Territory based on the annual record-level administrative data. In the in-sample validation tests, the model’s overall performance is robust, and the probabilistic design offers reliable prediction intervals reflecting the variation in observed values. The paper ends with a discussion on the importance of prediction intervals for informing school planning.

Communities of Practice: A Strategy for Re-engaging Out-of-School Youth by Nurturing Prospects and Fostering Connections

This research focuses on the potential of the Communities of Practice (CoPs) that might be utilized to bring back the out-of-school youth (OSY) to formal schooling. Even with the attempts to increase enrollment in schools, some of the Filipino youths still have no access to education, and still have difficult life struggles that include loss of jobs and social exclusion. This study discusses the experience and issues with which OSY encounter in CoPs and comprises the valuable prospects for them further. The exploratory research question of the study depicts the experiences of OSY within CoPs in terms of the sense of belonging, social connectedness, and perceived upcoming possibilities. It also narrows down challenges like; they lack financial capital, or have lack of access to services. Subjects of the study were selected within the area of Barangay Nagtenga, Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur. Participants and observations were obtained through interviews, and fundamental trends such as isolation, restricted social relationships, and low earnings were identified. From the study, there is a recommended plan on how to bring about the CoPs that focus on the learning from peers, skills enhancement, and community activities for the enhancement of OSY. This research clearly brings out the significance that can be achieved through community-Based strategies in re-engaging and promoting out-of-school youth.

Three-Year Effects of Motivational Interviewing–Enhanced Behavior Therapy for Adolescents With ADHD: A Randomized Community-Based Trial

This study reports 3-year effects of a parent-teen cognitive/behavioral treatment for adolescent attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), blended with Motivational Interviewing (Supporting Teens' Autonomy Daily [STAND]), vs Usual Care (UC) in 4 community clinics. This was a randomized clinical trial with double randomization of adolescents and therapists to STAND vs UC. Participants were 278 culturally diverse adolescents diagnosed with DSM-5 ADHD and 82 community therapists. Long-term effects on outcomes and theorized mechanisms were assessed at approximately 3 years post baseline (mean age= 16.94 years, SD= 1.69): ADHD severity (parent-rated), parent-teen conflict (parent/adolescent-rated), organization, time management, and planning skills (OTP; parent-rated), treatment and school enrollment (parent/adolescent-reported), and ADHD diagnostic persistence (clinician-determined). Therapist licensure was examined as a treatment moderator. Intent-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol analyses (n = 225; participants initiating treatment after agency intake) were conducted. As in the original trial, ITT analyses indicated no long-term group by time effects. However, STAND (vs UC) led to superior long-term outcomes when therapists were licensed (22% of sample) vs unlicensed for parent-rated hyperactivity/impulsivity (d= 0.39; adolescent-rated parent-teen conflict: d= 0.27, and parent-rated OTP skills: d= 0.79). Previously reported post-treatment group differences on medication engagement were non-significant at the 3-year follow-up. Although STAND did not outperform UC overall, group by licensure interactions indicate specific long-term impacts on ADHD symptoms, executive function skills such as OTP, and parent-teen conflict, extending this trial's acute effects and replicating previous findings. Clinicians in community settings might recommend adjunctive cognitive/behavioral treatment to adolescents with ADHD to maximize long-term outcomes. However, additional efforts are needed to facilitate effective implementation by unlicensed clinicians. STAND Community Trial (STAND); https://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT02694939. Long-term Follow-up of MI-based Behavioral Intervention Delivered in Community Mental Health; https://osf.io; h5w6f. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as living with a disability. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.

Mental Health Problems Among Indonesian Adolescents: Findings of a Cross-Sectional Study Utilizing Validated Scales and Innovative Sampling Methods

PurposeThis study aimed to estimate the prevalence of mental health problems and identify potential risk and protective exposures for adolescents in Indonesia. MethodsAn innovative sampling approach was applied to simultaneously recruit school- and community-based adolescents aged 16–18 years old from Jakarta (urban megacity) and South Sulawesi (remote province). We used multistage cluster sampling for in-school (N = 1,337) and respondent driven sampling for out-of-school (N = 824) adolescents. Mental health was measured using two validated scales: Kessler-10 and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised. Psychiatric interviews were conducted in a subsample (N = 196) of students from Jakarta to validate the self-report scales. ResultsThe estimated population prevalence of psychological distress and depression were 24.3% (95% CI = 21.5–27.2) and 12.6% (10.5–14.4) for in-school and 23.7% (20.7–26.7) and 23.5% (20.4–26.5) for out-of-school adolescents, respectively. In participants who completed a psychiatric interview, common psychiatric morbidities were social anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Compared to in-school females, male in-school adolescents reported a lower prevalence of psychological distress (16.9% (13.1–20.7) vs. 30.4% (26.4–34.4)) and depression (10.1% (7.2–13.1) vs. 14.6 (11.4–17.8)). By contrast, for out-of-school adolescents, males reported a higher prevalence of psychological distress (25.2% (21.6–28.9) vs. 20.2% (15.1–25.3)) and depression (26.3% (22.5–30.1) vs. 16.9% (11.8–21.9)). In-school adolescents who did not seek healthcare despite a perceived need were more likely to report psychological distress and depression. DiscussionAdolescent mental health problems are highly prevalent in Indonesia, with substantial variation by gender, geography, and school enrolment. This study and its approach to sampling and measurement may serve as a model to improving mental health surveillance across other settings.

Development and evaluation of a collaborative reflection-based debriefing strategy for simulation-based education using virtual simulations in practical nursing: A randomized controlled trial

AimTo develop and validate a debriefing strategy for simulation-based education in practical nursing that fosters collaborative reflection and enhances nursing competencies. The study assesses the effects on knowledge, problem-solving skills, self-confidence in clinical decision-making, reflective thinking and student satisfaction. BackgroundAdvancements in medical technology and the evolving healthcare landscape have increased nurses’ expectations, prompting nursing education to emphasize practical skills in addition to theoretical knowledge. The shortage of clinical practice wards, increased nursing school enrollments and a focus on patient rights have expanded traditional simulation-based education to include virtual clinical scenarios. MethodA randomized controlled trial was conducted with 66 fourth-year nursing students (34 in the experimental group and 32 in the control group) at Dongseo University, Pusan, Republic of Korea (IRB No. 2021-023-HR-02). The collaborative reflection-based debriefing comprised four phases: pre-debriefing, emotional relief, exploration of alternatives and expansion of thinking. The experimental group had three intervention sessions; the control group underwent individual debriefing after completing a structured reflective questionnaire. Outcomes were assessed post-intervention and at four and eight weeks. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance (mixed model). ResultsThe experimental group exhibited significantly greater improvements in knowledge, problem-solving skills, self-confidence in clinical decision-making, reflective thinking and satisfaction than the control group. ConclusionCollaborative reflection-based debriefing in simulation-based education can improve the nursing competency required in clinical settings.

The Drivers of Sustainable Development in South African Economy: The Role of Female Advancement

Contemporary societies have challenges in achieving sustainable development, while African economies remain quite distant from this ideal course for sustainable growth. Likewise, official statistics in South Africa show a wide gap between male and female involvement in economic activities. Given this, the study investigates the connection between three dimensions of sustainable development and female advancement in South Africa using auto-regressive disturbed lags (ARDL), Structural Vector autoregressive (SVAR) and Ganger non-causality approach. The three dimensions of sustainable development considered in this study are economic, environmental and social, proxies by adjusted net national savings, carbon emissions and adjusted net national income per capita, respectively. The female advancement indicators are proxies by employment, wages and salaries, and secondary school enrolment. The result from the ARDL shows that female advancement indicators promote short (SR) and long-run (LR) economic sustainability. Also, female wages and salaries have a positive relationship with carbon emissions in the SR but not significantly in the LR. At the same time, female employment and secondary school enrolment have a positive relationship with carbon emissions in the SR but are negative in the LR. The primary causes affecting long-term environmental sustainability are GDP per capita, financial development, population density, trade openness and urbanisation. Also, female advancement indicators promote social sustainability, especially employment, wages and salaries. More so, the SVAR results show that the forecasting error shock of GDP has minimal effect on carbon emission with notable variation in the population density. The causality result shows a unidirectional relationship between economic sustainability and female secondary school enrolment, environmental sustainability and female secondary school enrolment, and social sustainability and female secondary school enrolment, all flowing to female secondary school enrolment. Based on the findings, the study recommended improving female educational standards and increasing involvement in economic participation.

Does School Consolidation in Rural Areas Affect Students' Education? Empirical Evidence From China

ABSTRACTIn the late 1990s, an extensive consolidation of schools in rural China led to the amalgamation of numerous primary and secondary schools into urban schools or their discontinuation. The study aimed to investigate whether China's school consolidation movement has influenced the educational attainment of rural students. The data are sourced from the China Household Income Project (CHIP) and regional statistical yearbooks, and the cross‐section difference‐in‐differences (DID) method is used to analyse the differences in high school enrolment of rural students between regions with different degrees of school consolidation. Empirical analysis results indicate that school consolidation substantially enhances the probability of rural students receiving high school education, as well as having a positive impact on rural students taking the college entrance examination and receiving a longer formal education. Moreover, the findings of the empirical analysis remain significant even after controlling for variations in government educational expenditures, substituting the explained variables, as well as eliminating the influence of school‐entering age. The adjustment of rural schools, as an inevitable historical trend, is beneficial to improving rural educational attainment.

Entrance opportunity vs. academic performance: unpacking the nonlinear capitalization effects of multidimensional school qualities on housing sales and rental prices

It is widely documented that school quality has a capitalization effect on housing prices. However, existing literature has commonly reported a linear relationship between housing sales prices and the academic performance of nearby schools. This study challenges this prevalent understanding by examining how the entrance opportunity as an integral part of school quality affects both housing sales prices and housing rental prices, in response to the newly adopted point-based school enrolment policy in China whereby tenants are allowed to access local public schools but with fewer opportunities compared to homeowners. Employing machine learning algorithms, this study identifies which key school indicators and what ranges of these indicators have significant impacts on different housing sales and rental price segments in Shenzhen, China. Our results reveal that housing rental prices, particularly in the lower-priced segment, are more determined by the entrance opportunity than the academic performance, while the latter is the most important factor influencing housing sales prices. The nonlinear capitalization effect suggests that tenants and homebuyers are willing to pay more for school quality increases only within specific ranges, namely, from median to a relatively high level of school quality. These findings contribute to a more nuanced and updated understanding of the education capitalization effect and thus inform more inclusive and equitable urban planning and governance.

Access to energy and women's human capital in sub-Saharan Africa

This study examines the link between access to energy and women's human capital by focusing on women's life expectancy and school enrollment. To evaluate this relationship, we take a supranational perspective by using data from a panel of 34 sub-Saharan African countries over a 21-year period from 2000 to 2020. To do so, the ordinary least squares estimation technique applied to a fixed effects specification was adopted. It is found that for the whole sample, access to electricity has a significant positive impact on both life expectancy and school enrollment rates of women. Nevertheless, access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking significantly only impacts women's life expectancy but has no significant effect on women's school enrollment rate. Ultimately, we conclude that access to energy improves women's human capital, with a higher impact on life expectancy than on education. From a policy standpoint, action on both women's life expectancy and school enrollment should prioritize access to electricity. In order to increase women's human capital, governments must give the energy sector priority investment by setting up a grid system or promote the use of renewable energies such as micro-hydro and solar systems.

Oil price shocks and human capital channels in Nigeria

Nigeria faces persistent challenges of high unemployment and poverty, worsened by its over-reliance on the oil sector. While many studies have investigated the relationship between oil price volatility and human capital development, few have examined how this relationship impacts both basic and advanced human capital channels in developing economies; this study addresses that gap by using a Structural Vector Auto Regression (SVAR) approach to investigate how oil price shocks influence human capital channels. Co-integration tests reveal significant long-term relationships among the variables. For the basic channel, oil price shocks are negatively associated with secondary school enrollment but positively linked to primary school enrollment. In the advanced channel, oil price has a positive effect on government expenditure on tertiary education but negatively affects tertiary institution enrollment. The impulse response function confirms that oil price fluctuations significantly affect both basic and advanced channels of human capital. The findings show the detrimental impact of oil price shocks on Nigeria's human capital development, which may negatively affect sustainable development. The study emphasises the urgent need for economic diversification to reduce the economy's vulnerability to oil shocks and promote long-term growth and human capital development.

Parental education and children’s educational outcomes: evidence from the compulsory schooling law in China

ABSTRACT There is a growing body of literature investigating the impact of parental education, particularly maternal education, on children’s educational outcomes. This study aims to explore the causal effect of both parents’ education on children’s educational outcomes by leveraging the implementation of China’s 1986 Compulsory Schooling Law. Utilizing data from the China Family Panel Studies, our findings reveal that highly educated parents enhance child school enrolment rates and reduce delayed primary school enrolment, with notable variations based on child gender. These results underscore the significance of considering both parents’ educational backgrounds in shaping children’s educational attainment. Additionally, we examine various underlying mechanisms behind these observed effects, including attendance at key-point schools equipped with better teachers and facilities.

Prospective healthcare students' perspectives and attitudes on pharmacy as a chosen career path

BackgroundWith the national increase in the number of colleges and schools of pharmacy as well as the decreased pharmacy school applicant pool in recent years, pharmacy school enrollment challenges are at the forefront of issues facing pharmacy programs today. Factors that can influence a candidate's likelihood to pursue pharmacy school are important to evaluate. Recent studies assessing factors that motivate potential pre-health candidates to pursue pharmacy school or other healthcare careers are limited. ObjectiveTo describe prospective candidates' perspectives and attitudes toward pharmacy as a career pathway and assess factors that motivate or deter them from pursuing pharmacy as a career and from considering a specific pharmacy school. MethodThe study was cross-sectional and used an online data collection form distributed via the Qualtrics platform from October 4, 2022 through October 12, 2022 using the social media platform Reddit. Reddit has hundreds of subcommunities known as subreddits, that allow for exchange of ideas and discussion regarding various topics. This social media platform is commonly used by pre-health students to discuss career options. The survey consisted of 28 items and two domains, demographics and prospective healthcare students' understanding of responsibilities of pharmacists and their overall perspective on pharmacy as a profession. The survey was targeted toward anyone with an intention of pursuing a health science degree or career. ResultFour hundred participants completed the survey. Participants were mainly Caucasian, male, and with a mean age of 25 years. This study assessed prospective candidates' perspectives and attitudes toward pharmacy as a career pathway, appealing and unappealing characteristics about pursuing a career in the field of pharmacy, and factors that motivate or deter candidates from pursuing pharmacy. While 68 % of the participants had heard that career choices are vast and vary in the field of pharmacy, most still had concerns about the pharmacy field being heavily saturated and lack of job opportunities after graduation. Almost 60 % of responders gained information about pharmacy programs through social media platforms. The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination pass rate, postgraduate residencies/fellowships, program duration and program reputation were among the top factors in choosing a pharmacy program. ConclusionMany survey participants had heard that there are a variety of job opportunities in the field of pharmacy, but the majority had heard that the pharmacy field is heavily saturated and that there are lack of opportunities after graduation. Most responders gained information through social media platforms. For prospective pharmacy school candidates, NAPLEX pass rate, number of graduates matched with PGY1 residencies and fellowships, and duration and reputation of the program seems to be among the most important factors in choosing a pharmacy program. Factors that prospective candidates consider when selecting a pharmacy program and the means they use to research about programs can be important considerations for pharmacy programs recruitment. Awareness of the preferences and baseline knowledge of candidates about the field of pharmacy can aid in developing targeted recruitment strategies and informing decision-making in pharmacy programs and recruitment efforts.

From Policy to Practice: Unpacking the Politics and Realities of Environmental Education Policy in Chinese Primary Schools

Abstract In recent years, China’s strong commitment to the political agenda of ecological civilisation has increased the presence of environmental education (EE) in the policy arena. Using the waste classification policy as an example, this research explores the implementation of EE policy in two Chinese primary schools. Through the use of a policy enactment framework, the findings reveal that contextual factors such as school enrolment, infrastructure and external influences from the District Bureau greatly influence the schools’ policy capacity. By exploring the internal policy flow and school artefacts, it was found that although the waste classification policy was enacted similarly in the selected primary schools, the outcomes differed significantly. These variations highlight the complexities and challenges of implementing an EE policy under ecological civilisation and contribute to the understanding of the tension between localised adaptations and the nationally politicised EE policy mandates.

Does enforcing dispersal policies prevent ethnic spatial concentration? Quasi-experimental evidence from Denmark

ABSTRACT Since the 1980s, policymakers have implemented dispersal policies to prevent ethnic spatial concentration. However, the effectiveness of these policies is questionable. For this reason, and to enforce the dispersal policy, the Danish government introduced the Danish Integration Act in 1999, which required newly arrived refugees to remain in the placement municipality for three years to remain eligible for social assistance. Leveraging Danish register data, we provide quasi-experimental evidence by evaluating the effects of the 1999 Danish Integration Act on the mobility of refugee households and ethnic concentration. Our results suggest that this policy had a retaining effect for up to 5 years. However, we find that the estimates are no longer significant after 6–7 years, suggesting that resettlement decisions were mainly delayed by the enforcement policy. In addition, ties (in terms of employment, education, and school enrolment) play an important role, as the constraining effect of the policy is greater for households with stronger ties to the placement municipality. Once sanctions were lifted, households that moved opted for neighbourhoods with lower ethnic concentration.