Mentoring and Schooling Decisions: Causal Evidence

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Falk, Armin; Kosse, Fabian; Pinger, Pia
• 署名单位: University of Bonn; University of Wurzburg; University of Cologne
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-3808
• DOI: 10.1086/738484
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: SOCIAL-DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION; intergenerational transmission; SECONDARY-SCHOOL; EARLY TRACKING; Randomized evaluation; EDUCATIONAL-SERVICES; low-income; childhood; opportunity; INEQUALITY

摘要

Inequality of opportunity occurs when children of equal academic performance are sent to different-quality schools because their parents differ in socioeconomic status. We demonstrate that children from low-socioeconomic status (SES) families are significantly less likely to enter the academic track, even after conditioning on prior school performance. We then provide causal evidence that a low-intensity mentoring program can improve the education outcomes of low-SES children and reduce inequality of opportunity. Low-SES children randomly assigned to mentors for 1 year are 20% more likely to enter a high-track program. Mentorship affects both parents and children and has positive long-term implications for children's educational trajectories. The effects are enduring and scalable.