Plausibly Exogenous [1707] - Gender Difference (10/05/2024)

LHS Variable
Gender differences in grades and graduating “on time”

RHS Variable
Competition

Source of Exogenous Variation
As part of a major reform to its secondary school system, the government of Ontario announced the abolition of grade 13 in 1997. Prior to this reform, Ontario students entered college or university after completing grade 13, which contrasted with the other secondary school programs in Canada. Following the reform, students were now expected to complete secondary school in 4 years (after grade 12) instead of 5 years. The first cohort of the new program (henceforth, the G12 program) began secondary school (grade 9) in September 1999. Since students completed the new program faster than its predecessor (the G13 program), the first cohort of the G12 program and the last cohort of the abolished program were expected to graduate and apply to postsecondary institutions in spring 2003, giving rise to the Ontario “double cohort.”

- Morin (2015), “Do Men and Women Respond Differently to Competition? Evidence from a Major Education Reform”