An in-depth study of the Affelnet procedure in Paris reveals that the social and academic mix of the capital’s general and technological upper secondary schools is the result of a complex interplay between families’ school preferences and the rules implemented by the local education authority to regulate the choices expressed. This study draws on the results of a survey carried out in 2013 amongst approximately 10,000 Parisian secondary school pupils and on the unprecedented analysis of data extracted from the Paris Education Authority’s management databases. It thus shows that the ability of allocation procedures to influence the social and academic mix faces two major obstacles. The first of these is the geographical constraint, as it makes the composition of upper secondary schools dependent on residential segregation between catchment areas. Social and academic differentiation in families’ school choices, for its part, largely predetermines the social and academic segmentation of upper secondary schools. The analysis indicates, however, that despite these constraints, the rules governing pupil allocation exert a decisive influence on the social and academic mix. In some respects, the Affelnet procedure used in Paris contributes to reducing this diversity: the central role played by marks in the allocation system contributes to the stratification of schools according to the academic level of their pupils and reduces social diversity. Conversely, the bonus introduced for pupils receiving grants has significantly increased social diversity in the capital’s general and technological upper secondary schools.
HAL: halshs-01447265
