Sociocultural and Gender-Specific Selectivity at the Qualification for Upper Secondary Level in a Multi Versus Two-Track Secondary System

This article examines teachers' placement decisions at the transition to upper secondary level in non-academic track schools in atwo- versus multi-track secondary system in Berlin, focusing primarily on the decisions' sensitivity to ascriptive characteristics, such as social and ethnic background or gender. Results showed that sociocultural characteristics and gender covaried with the probability of qualifying for upper secondary level. The relationship between the family's level of education and qualification for upper secondary level disappeared when we controlled for student achievement and immigration status. In contrast, the effects of social and immigration status persisted, at least in the multi-track system. Social and immigration status had opposing effects on qualification for upper secondary level: students with an immigration background were evaluated more positively, whereas students from lower SES families were evaluated more negatively. Girls received aplacement bonus that was mediated by good study behavior and grades awarded.