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  5. Does Reducing Early School Tracking Affect Health Behaviors?

AEA Papers and Proceedings

ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)

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Does Reducing Early School Tracking Affect Health Behaviors?

  • Serena Canaan
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 114, May 2024
(pp. 375–80)
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Abstract

This paper examines how delaying the age of school tracking affects long-term health behaviors and access to preventive care. I exploit a reform of the French middle school system, which delayed the placement of students into vocational and academic education by two years. Tracking was mostly replaced by grouping students into achievement-based classrooms. I find that the reform has no significant effects on health behaviors that are associated with increased mortality, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and obesity. It does, however, increase the likelihood of getting on-time preventive screening for chronic illnesses, such as cholesterol and glycemic index tests.

Citation

Canaan, Serena. 2024. "Does Reducing Early School Tracking Affect Health Behaviors?" AEA Papers and Proceedings, 114: 375–80. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20241122

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • I12 Health Behavior
  • I21 Analysis of Education
  • I28 Education: Government Policy
  • J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth