Geographical constraints and upper secondary track choice: does distance to schools prevent students from entering school-based programmes?; Räumliche Restriktionen und Übergänge in die nachobligatorische Bildung: Hindert die Distanz zu Schulen Lernende an der Teilnahme an allgemeinbildenden Ausbildungen?

Abstract

Abundant research has shown that educational transitions are decisively shaped by prior educational attainment and students’ family background. In contrast, the role of geography and spatial features during educational transitions remains less explored. Drawing on linked large-scale assessment data from Switzerland, the present study examines the role of the distance between a student’s place of residence and the nearest upper secondary school as a potential barrier to entry into school-based education at the upper secondary level. In response to potentially flawed distance measures used in previous research, this study proposes a novel distance measure based on commuting times to the nearest school. Using a series of probit and mixed-effects probit models, this study finds that greater distances to schools prevent students from entering school-based programmes at the upper secondary level, although the effect sizes are comparatively modest. Overall, the results confirm previous findings on higher education that geographical distance may pose a barrier to accessing educational institutions. © The Author(s) 2025.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Secondary Education Switzerland A20 C35 Data linkage Distance to schools Geography of opportunity I24 R41 R53

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

University of Bern, Bern, BE, Switzerland

Funding & Acknowledgements

European Commission, EU

Grant: 101004392

The author discloses receipt of the following financial support: \u201CThis work has received funding from the European Union\u2019s 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101004392 (PIONEERED).\u201D

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