Researchers Anna-Maria Fjellman and Kajsa Yang Hansen have examined how socioeconomic, ethnic and performance-based school segregation have evolved in Gothenburg.
– The most important finding is that different types of school segregation develop in different ways and differ between compulsory and upper secondary education. If we want to counteract segregation, we need to understand that different mechanisms are driving these processes, says Anna-Maria Fjellman, Senior Lecturer at the University of Gothenburg.
Sharp increase in performance-based segregation
– Despite the wide range of choices, upper secondary education is today highly segregated. Students are increasingly divided according to their grades, says Anna-Maria Fjellman, researcher at the University of Gothenburg.
Socioeconomic segregation has remained relatively stable over time, particularly in compulsory school. In contrast, performance-based segregation – the division between high- and low-achieving students – has increased substantially, especially in upper secondary education.
Levels are higher in the City of Gothenburg than in the rest of the Västra Götaland Region. In this urban school market, there are many upper secondary schools and strong competition for popular programmes. This contributes to a clearer sorting of students based on their grade point averages.
– Despite many options, the school market in Gothenburg is highly segregated. High-achieving students tend to cluster in certain schools, while students with lower performance are largely concentrated in others, says Anna-Maria Fjellman.
Turning point after upper secondary reform
A clear turning point can be seen around 2011–2013, in connection with the GY11 reform and stricter eligibility requirements. After this, both performance-based and ethnic segregation increased in upper secondary education.
More low-achieving students were channelled into introduction programmes, which are mainly provided by municipal schools. Around 80 per cent of students in the lowest performance group attend municipal upper secondary schools, while independent schools enrol a larger share of high-achieving students.
– In a school market, students with the fewest options are the most affected. If you have low grades or limited access to alternatives, school choice is not a real opportunity, says Anna-Maria Fjellman.
Implications for the school’s compensatory mission
When students with greater support needs are concentrated in certain schools, this affects resources, working conditions and the learning environment. According to the researchers, this development risks making it more difficult for schools to fulfil their compensatory mission.
– Schools have a democratic and compensatory responsibility. If students increasingly meet only peers with similar backgrounds and performance levels, there is a risk that inequality will deepen, both within the education system and in society at large, says Anna-Maria Fjellman.
She hopes the findings will provide an important basis for policy decisions on how school choice, resource allocation and the distribution of responsibilities between municipal and independent providers can be designed to reduce segregation.
Text: Ragnhild Larsson
