Primary and secondary effects in the explanation of disadvantage in education: the children of immigrant families in France

TLDR

The study investigates how immigrant and native students in France transition from lower to upper secondary school, examining primary and secondary sources of educational disadvantage. Immigrant and immigrant‑origin students are disadvantaged at the transition to upper secondary school because they are more likely to be tracked into vocational tracks, and primary effects fully explain the initial gap while secondary effects may benefit them, yet immigrant families remain more conservative and need stronger evidence of success.

Abstract

This paper explores the prospective transition of immigrant and native students in France from lower to upper secondary school. Because they are more likely to be tracked to less prestigious (vocational) tracks, immigrant and immigrant‐origin students are significantly disadvantaged at this key academic stage in comparison with the children of native families. Primary and secondary sources of educational disadvantage are explored to explain this phenomenon. Primary effects appear to account for the entire initial disadvantage, while secondary effects could have a positive impact for immigrant‐origin students. Nonetheless, immigrant families appear to be more conservative than native families and may need stronger evidence that their children will succeed in upper secondary school.