The impact of tracking in a stratified education system on idealistic educational aspirations in migrant and native families

2025/02/12 by Andrés Gomensoro, Marieke Heers, Chantal Kamm +1 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #Parental Involvement in Education #Global Educational Reforms and Inequalities #School Choice and Performance

paper · doi:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101022

openalex publication_date 2025/02/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23

Abstract

In this study, we analyse the extent to which educational tracking impacts idealistic educational aspirations in Switzerland and how different second generation groups by countries of origin differ from Swiss natives in this respect. In fact, research has repeatedly confirmed that students with a migration background aspire more for general education, specifically for university degrees. However, little is known within strong tracking educational systems, such as Switzerland. Using AES2016-data, we find that when parental educational aspirations are controlled for and when we account for constraints due to tracking, children of immigrants have higher idealistic educational aspirations than their native counterparts. This points towards some immigrant optimism. Track attendance has a different impact on the aspirations of different groups but does not inhibit high aspirations even when these seem unattainable.

Citations

• Stratification and the formation of expectations in highly differentiated educational systems
• Multiple imputation using chained equations: Issues and guidance for practice
• The Effect of School Tracking on Student Achievement and Inequality: A Meta-Analysis

Cited by

• “I Can Do It If I Work Hard”: Perceived Educational Opportunity in the Netherlands’ Tracked System

Discussions

• Researchers in Switzerland find that immigrant children tend to have higher academic aspirations than Swiss-born children, but track placement can also affect academic aspiration. [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]

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