Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectories

Abstract This study examines the long-term effects of two different integrative school measures in lower secondary education — reduced individual learning objectives and accommodations — on post-compulsory educational trajectories in Switzerland. Based on data from the Bernese Longitudinal Study on...

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Main Authors: Sara Lustenberger, Caroline Sahli Lozano, Kathrin Brandenberg, Janine Hauser, Sergej Wüthrich
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-08-01
Series:Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-025-00190-8
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author Sara Lustenberger
Caroline Sahli Lozano
Kathrin Brandenberg
Janine Hauser
Sergej Wüthrich
author_facet Sara Lustenberger
Caroline Sahli Lozano
Kathrin Brandenberg
Janine Hauser
Sergej Wüthrich
author_sort Sara Lustenberger
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study examines the long-term effects of two different integrative school measures in lower secondary education — reduced individual learning objectives and accommodations — on post-compulsory educational trajectories in Switzerland. Based on data from the Bernese Longitudinal Study on Integrative School Measures (BELIMA; N = 2297), this study examines how these measures influence students’ transitions to upper secondary education, focusing on the level of academic demands and educational discontinuities (delayed entry and apprenticeship contract terminations). Through propensity score matching, students with and without integrative measures were compared while controlling for various factors including school type, academic performance, intelligence, and social background. Results show that students with reduced learning objectives were significantly more likely to enrol in educational programs with lower academic demands compared to similar students without this measure. However, they did not experience more discontinuous pathways. No effects were found for students with accommodations, neither regarding the level of academic demands nor educational discontinuities. These findings suggest that reduced learning objectives may limit educational opportunities beyond compulsory education, potentially due to their stigmatizing effects. This raises important questions about how integrative measures can be implemented to support students effectively while avoiding unintended negative consequences for their educational trajectories.
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series Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training
spelling doaj-art-3870579ce5a94ec7bbb92ac7e0ceb8cf2025-08-20T04:02:42ZengSpringerOpenEmpirical Research in Vocational Education and Training1877-63452025-08-0117112210.1186/s40461-025-00190-8Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectoriesSara Lustenberger0Caroline Sahli Lozano1Kathrin Brandenberg2Janine Hauser3Sergej Wüthrich4Bern University of Teacher EducationBern University of Teacher EducationBern University of Teacher EducationBern University of Teacher EducationBern University of Teacher EducationAbstract This study examines the long-term effects of two different integrative school measures in lower secondary education — reduced individual learning objectives and accommodations — on post-compulsory educational trajectories in Switzerland. Based on data from the Bernese Longitudinal Study on Integrative School Measures (BELIMA; N = 2297), this study examines how these measures influence students’ transitions to upper secondary education, focusing on the level of academic demands and educational discontinuities (delayed entry and apprenticeship contract terminations). Through propensity score matching, students with and without integrative measures were compared while controlling for various factors including school type, academic performance, intelligence, and social background. Results show that students with reduced learning objectives were significantly more likely to enrol in educational programs with lower academic demands compared to similar students without this measure. However, they did not experience more discontinuous pathways. No effects were found for students with accommodations, neither regarding the level of academic demands nor educational discontinuities. These findings suggest that reduced learning objectives may limit educational opportunities beyond compulsory education, potentially due to their stigmatizing effects. This raises important questions about how integrative measures can be implemented to support students effectively while avoiding unintended negative consequences for their educational trajectories.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-025-00190-8Integrative school measuresReduced learning objectivesAccommodationsSpecial educational needsEducational trajectoriesTransition from lower to upper secondary education
spellingShingle Sara Lustenberger
Caroline Sahli Lozano
Kathrin Brandenberg
Janine Hauser
Sergej Wüthrich
Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectories
Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training
Integrative school measures
Reduced learning objectives
Accommodations
Special educational needs
Educational trajectories
Transition from lower to upper secondary education
title Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectories
title_full Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectories
title_fullStr Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectories
title_full_unstemmed Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectories
title_short Opportunities or new disadvantages? The long-term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post-compulsory educational trajectories
title_sort opportunities or new disadvantages the long term impact of curriculum modifications and accommodations on post compulsory educational trajectories
topic Integrative school measures
Reduced learning objectives
Accommodations
Special educational needs
Educational trajectories
Transition from lower to upper secondary education
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-025-00190-8
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AT kathrinbrandenberg opportunitiesornewdisadvantagesthelongtermimpactofcurriculummodificationsandaccommodationsonpostcompulsoryeducationaltrajectories
AT janinehauser opportunitiesornewdisadvantagesthelongtermimpactofcurriculummodificationsandaccommodationsonpostcompulsoryeducationaltrajectories
AT sergejwuthrich opportunitiesornewdisadvantagesthelongtermimpactofcurriculummodificationsandaccommodationsonpostcompulsoryeducationaltrajectories