Rhythms of class : socio-economic disparities and peer dynamics in secondary school choice

Abstract

Schools tend to be segregated based on socio-economic status (SES), raising concerns about unequal educational opportunities and the broader impact on civic engagement and social cohesion. A key factor contributing to school segregation is that families from different socio-economic backgrounds face unequal opportunities to exert choice and express different preferences for schooling. This dissertation examines socio-economic disparities in secondary school choice in the Netherlands, focusing on two underexplored aspects: educational differentiation and the peer context. The findings reveal that school choice is socially stratified in multiple ways, with families of different SES backgrounds making other decisions regarding a school’s track offer, ability grouping practices, and, in some cases, specialized profiles. Furthermore, school choice is a social decision. Understanding (socio-economic disparities in) school choice requires looking beyond isolated family-level choice processes and considering the peer context in which preferences for schooling develop. While peer networks can help mitigate educational disadvantages for lower SES students, their segregated nature limits this compensatory effect. Lower SES students appear more susceptible to network effects in school choice but are also less likely to be part of resource-rich primary school networks due to segregation between and within schools. These findings underscore the need for school desegregation and integration efforts to promote equality of educational opportunities.