Transitions to post-compulsory education in Barcelona: distinct paths, unequal itineraries

Abstract

The division between academic and vocational paths is a central process in determining the stratification of educational systems, explaining a large part of the selectivity and inequality existing in this system. This article analyzes the transitions to post-compulsory secondary education (Baccalaureate studies and vocational training) in Barcelona, emphasizing the contrast between the vocational and academic tracks. Through a quantitative longitudinal analysis based on census data, evidence is provided regarding the differences in the background of students who follow academic and vocational tracks. Four educational itineraries (academic, vocational, interrupted and slow) have been identified. The implications of these results are also discussed in terms of educational stratification and social inequality.