Table o f Contents

(1)

Table o f Contents

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Motivation 1

1.2 Methodological Framework 5

1.3 Outline of the Thesis 6

2 T h e Effect o f Preschool A t t e n d a n c e o n Secondary School Track Choice:

Evidence from Siblings 1 0

2.1 Introduction 10

2.2 Germany's Preschool and School System 13

2.3 Empirical Strategy and Data 15

2.3.1 Estimation Strategy 15

2.3.2 Data on Preschool Attendance and Secondary School

Track Choice 19

2.4 Results 24

2.4.1 OLS Results 24

2.4.2 Sibling Models 26

2.4.3 Robustness Checks 36

2.4.4 Cognitive Skills as Dependent Variable 43

2.5 Conclusion 45

3 A g e a t Preschool Entrance a n d Noncognitive Skills before School:

A n Instrumented Variable Approach 4 9

3.1 Introduction 49

3.2 Germany's Preschool System and the Month of Birth I n s t r u m e n t . . . . 53

3.3.2 Data on Preschool Entrance and Noncognitive Skills 61

3.4 Results 67

3.4.1 First Stage Results 67

v

http://d-nb.info/1018877371

(2)

vi TABLE O F CONTENTS

3.4.2 Effects of Age a t Preschool Entrance on Noncognitive Skills . . 70

3.5 Conclusion 81

4 Public Child Care and Mothers' Labor Supply:

Evidence from A g e Cut-offs 8 6

4.1 Introduction 86

4.2 Germany's Child Care System and the Cut-off Rules 90

4.3.2 Data on Child Care and Mothers' Outcomes 93

4.4 Results 98

4.4.1 Reduced form: Eligibility for Child Care and Mothers'

Labor Supply 98

4.4.2 2SLS: Child Care Attendance and Mothers' Labor Supply . . . 108

4.5 Conclusion 122

5 Identifying t h e Incidence o f "Grading o n a Curve":

A Within-Student Across-Subject Approach 124

5.1 Introduction 124

5.2 The German School System and Teacher Grading 127

5.3.2 Data on German Fourth-Grade Students from PIRLS 132

5.4 Results 138

5.4.1 Pooled OLS Models and Correlated Random Effects Model . . . 138

5.4.2 First-Differenced' Model 141

5.4.3 Effect Heterogeneity 145

5.5 The Association Between Relative Grading and Students'

Learning Effort 149

5.6 Conclusion 154

6 Policy Conclusions 1 6 1

Literature 165