The Long-Term Effects of Long Terms – Compulsory Schooling Reforms in Sweden

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of the European Economic Association
Year: 2020
Volume: 18
Issue: 6
Pages: 2776-2823

Authors (4)

Martin Fischer (not in RePEc) Martin Karlsson (Universität Duisburg-Essen) Therese Nilsson (Lunds Universitet) Nina Schwarz (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We evaluate the impact on earnings, pensions, and further labor market outcomes of two parallel educational reforms increasing instructional time in Swedish primary school. The reforms extended the annual term length and years of compulsory schooling by comparable amounts. We find striking differences in the effects of the two reforms: at 5% the returns to the term length extension were sizeable and benefited broad ranges of the population. The compulsory schooling extension had small (2%) albeit significant effects, which were possibly driven by an increase in post-compulsory schooling. Both reforms led to increased sorting into occupations with heavy reliance on basic skills and the term extension reduced the gender gap in employment and earnings.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:oup:jeurec:v:18:y:2020:i:6:p:2776-2823.
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25