Much Ado about Nothing? School Curriculum Reforms and Students’ Educational Trajectories

Strazzeri, Maurizio; Oggenfuss, Chantal; Wolter, Stefan C. (August 2022). Much Ado about Nothing? School Curriculum Reforms and Students’ Educational Trajectories (CESifo Working Papers 9912).

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We estimate the impact of a large curriculum reform in Switzerland that substantially
increased the share of foreign language classes in compulsory school on students’
subsequent educational choices in upper secondary school. Using administrative student
register data and exploiting the staggered implementation of the curriculum reform, we
find that exposure to more foreign language classes during compulsory school has only
minor effects on educational choices of the overall student population. However, we find
substantial effect heterogeneity: while the reform has no effect on the direct educational
progression of either low-track female or high-track students, it impedes low-track male
students’ transition to upper secondary education. The effect of foreign language classes
on the educational trajectory of low-track male students is particularly pronounced for
students who do not speak at home the school’s language of instruction. Finally, we find
that female students who start vocational training immediately after compulsory school are
more likely to select into training occupations that require higher foreign language skills
in- stead of natural science skills.

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