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Continuation to upper secondary education in Finland: Children of immigrants and the majority compared

The education of children of immigrants is an important aspect of the integration of immigrant groups into receiving societies. This article focuses on the first transition in the Finnish education system. Two aspects are analysed: continuation versus dropping out and choice of upper secondary school type (general versus vocational). Results suggest that children of immigrants tend to have a higher probability of dropping out of education at this transition than the majority. However, this can largely be explained by prior school achievement and family resources. Controlling for these, only some first-generation groups are left disadvantaged. Second-generation students with very low prior school achievement or a father outside the labour force are also at an increased risk of dropping out. These drop-outs may be seen as discouraged students. The picture is more positive for choice of general school. After similar controls, most children of immigrants have a higher probability of choosing general school than the majority. The difference is greatest for the non-European second generation and for students with below-average prior school achievement. Together with the results for drop-out, this points to an avoidance of vocational schools by some ethnic minority groups.