The evolution of the gender test score gap through seventh grade: New insights from Australia using unconditional quantile regression and decomposition

Le, Huong and Nguyen, Ha (2018): The evolution of the gender test score gap through seventh grade: New insights from Australia using unconditional quantile regression and decomposition. Published in: IZA Journal of Labor Economics , Vol. 2, No. 7 (21 February 2018)

Abstract

This paper documents the patterns and examines the factors contributing to a gender gap in educational achievements in early seventh grade of schooling using a recent and nationally representative panel of Australian children. Regression results indicate that females excel at non-numeracy subjects at later grades whereas males outperform females in numeracy in all grades, whether at the mean or along the distribution of the test score. Our results also reveal a widening gender test score gap in numeracy as students advance their schooling. Regression and decomposition results also highlight the importance of controlling for pre-school cognitive skills in examining the gender test score gap.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Gender, Education, Quantile regression, Decomposition, Australia
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I20 - General; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J16 - Economics of Gender ; Non-labor Discrimination

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