Configurations and results of segregation between classes in primary and lower secondary schools in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Keywords:
school segregation, classroom composition, academic outcomes, Lisbon Metropolitan AreaAbstract
This article aims to analyze the social and ethnic distribution trends of pupils in primary and lower secondary school classes in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA), as well as the impacts of classroom composition on the academic performance of different groups of pupils. It is known that the concentration of pupils in terms of their academic results is subject to criticism, contributing to social and ethnic segregation within schools and bringing few benefits to those who are often disadvantaged. Moreover, teachers preference for homogeneous classes is also recognized in the literature, requiring an analysis of the objective impacts of these options on educational trajectories. To this end, statistical microdata of education referring to pupils in LMA public elementary and lower secondary schools were mobilized in 2017/2018. Analysis of indices of dissimilarity in terms of family schooling, migration status, and ethnic origin reveals a school network that tends toward equilibrium, although reduced exclusion remains within schools that match the best academic results. Analysis of evidence shows that students from less educated countries and of Afro-descendant origin are particularly penalized by being placed in segregated classes.
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