Social Class and School Performance as Predictors of Educational Paths in Spain

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of school performance (primary effects)
and the structure of costs and benefits that individuals of different social
class face (secondary effects) on the transition from compulsory to
non-compulsory education in Spain. We find that both predictors of
educational paths seem to operate through an interactive effect, which
contributes to reproducing educational inequalities. This interaction
suggests that school performance is not interpreted in the same way by
individuals from different social classes. In concrete, the resources and
social capital of upper class families provide compensation effects
leading to a greater probability of students from upper classes with poor
grades reaching post-compulsory secondary education and higher
education in comparison to lower class students with the equivalent
grades. Therefore, inequality by social class of origin is greatest among
students with the lowest grades.