School Gender Composition and Academic Performance: Evidence from Transition from Single-Sex to Coeducational Schools

Seoul Journal of Economics 2017, Vol. 30, No. 4

22 Pages Posted: 4 Dec 2017

See all articles by Jungmin Lee

Jungmin Lee

Seoul National University - Department of Economics

Hye Yeon Park

Sogang University

Date Written: November 30, 2017

Abstract

We examine how the gender composition of students within schools affects their academic performance. For causal identification, we exploit within-school variation in the gender composition because of policy-driven transitions from single-sex to coeducational schools. In Seoul, South Korea, several high schools were converted from single-sex to coeducational schools between 1998 and 2003, by the city superintendent’s Coeducational School Expansion Policy. We find that boys’ test score dropped when their schools began to admit girls based on administrative test score data on standardized college entrance examination. However, the negative effect disappeared when the school transition was complete. We find no effect on girls who were admitted to previously boys-only schools.

Keywords: Gender composition of students; Single-sex schools, Coeducational schools; High school academic performance; College entrance examination score

JEL Classification: I2, J1, H5

Suggested Citation

Lee, Jungmin and Park, Hye Yeon, School Gender Composition and Academic Performance: Evidence from Transition from Single-Sex to Coeducational Schools (November 30, 2017). Seoul Journal of Economics 2017, Vol. 30, No. 4, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3080040

Jungmin Lee (Contact Author)

Seoul National University - Department of Economics ( email )

Hye Yeon Park

Sogang University ( email )

Seoul 121-742
Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

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