Miroslav Beblavy (CEPS), Anna-Elisabeth Thum (CEPS) and Marcela Veselkova (Slovak Governance Institute) 1 Brussels,

Introduction " Because of differences in climate, energy, tastes and age, equality among people is a physical impossibility. But civilized man can render this inequality harmless, just as he has done with swamps and bears." (in ‘Three Years’ by Anton Chekhov) => What do policy makers thinking about pro- equality education policies need to know? 2

We propose three steps in thinking pro-equality education policies: 1. Analysis of the context: Education and welfare policies: pro-equality policies embedded in a social policy context 2. Effect: Do the effects of pro-equality education policies differ across the performance distribution? 3. Implementation: The political economy of pro- equality educational reform 3 Introduction

1. Education and welfare policies: pro- equality policies embedded in a social policy context KEY FINDING: Stratification vs equality:2 pure clusters, 2 mixed „the role of public policy is to promote equality“ (equalisation) „there is a proper place for everyone in society“ (stratification) 4

1. Education and welfare policies: pro-equality policies embedded in a social policy context KEY FINDING: Family/market vs. state provision clusters: 2 pure clusters and 1 mixed 5

2. Do the effects of pro-equality education policies differ across the performance distribution? 6 The distributional association of ability grouping and inequality positive but more so for the more able students positive but more so for the less able students The distributional association of ability grouping and inequality positive for the less able students and negative for the more able students negative for the less able students and positive for the more able students

2. Do the effects of pro-equality education policies differ across the performance distribution? KEY FINDING: In most countries the difference in the effect of the pro-equality policy measures across countries is comparably small. Countries with relatively strong differences across the distribution however are: AT, BE, HU, LV, ES, US 7

2. Do the effects of pro-equality education policies differ across the performance distribution? In a country with an “equalizing” education policy culture, early childhood education is associated with more equality for the less able (Spain) In a country with a “stratifying” education policy culture, early childhood education is associated with more equality for the more able; ability grouping is associated with lower equality for the less able(Belgium) or higher equality for the more able (Hungary) 8

3. The political economy of pro-equality educational reform 9 Balance of Forces

3. The political economy of pro-equality educational reform Routes of Escape Implementation may be hampered by: 1. existence of dual systems – transfer of selection to private or church schools 2. free school choice – white flight 3. residential segregation 10

3. The political economy of pro-equality educational reform Some country findings Parents with low socio-economic status may have other concerns than equality Framing matters Disseminate the research results! Later tracking – necessary but not sufficient condition for equality? 11

Conclusion 12

Conclusion ….Thank you very much for your attention. 13