ERIC Number: EJ1471484
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 41
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0002-8312
EISSN: EISSN-1935-1011
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Gender Segregation in Secondary School Course Choices: Socioeconomic Gradients and the Protective Role of School Gender Culture
Lorena Ortega1; Matías Montero1; Catalina Canals2; Alejandra Mizala1,3
American Educational Research Journal, v62 n3 p499-539 2025
Upper secondary education shapes gender segregation in higher education and the labor market. This study shows gendered elective course enrollment patterns in Chilean upper secondary education across seven subjects, examines their consistency across socioeconomic contexts, and identifies school-level moderators. Using national administrative data from 2012-2021 and multilevel models, we find that students make gender-stereotypical choices regardless of their prior achievement. Notably, in higher-socioeconomic-status schools, gender differences in enrollment are larger, suggesting that socioeconomic context amplifies gendered choices. Additionally, the gender culture of schools moderates segregation in field-of-study choices, indicating that the school environment plays an important role in shaping students' educational trajectories. These findings highlight the need for targeted policies to address gender and socioeconomic disparities in education.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Course Selection (Students), Secondary School Students, Sex Stereotypes, Gender Differences, Socioeconomic Status, School Culture, Educational Environment, Disproportionate Representation, Intellectual Disciplines, Peer Influence, Teacher Role, Grade 11, Grade 12
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; Grade 11; High Schools; Grade 12
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Chile
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Center for Advanced Research in Education (CIAE), Instituto de Estudios Avanzados en Educacion, Universidad de Chile; 2Institute of Social Sciences, Universidad de O’Higgins; 3Centro de Economia Aplicada, Departamento de Ingenieria Industrial, Universidad de Chile