Will what helps now help later? The role of school spending in shaping academic resilience and future success for Norway’s disadvantaged students

Abstract

Academic resilience, which describes how disadvantaged students excel in schools, has gained attention for its potential to narrow achievement gaps and reduce educational inequalities. While malleable protective factors in the learning environment have been extensively studied, institutional factors like school spending have received less attention. This study utilizes Norwegian register data to examine how the amount and allocation of school spending may influence academic resilience through regression analyses. Instrumental variable (IV) analyses are then used to further examine support for the relationship between academic resilience and long-term outcomes, such as educational attainment and income by age 30. The findings reveal that class size and student-teacher ratios, while not predictors of academic resilience, are associated with long-term outcomes. The amount of school spending influences academic resilience; however, its effects on educational attainment and income vary. The allocation of school spending influences educational attainment and income, with specific investments in Norwegian language and special education support significantly predicting academic resilience. Academic resilience is predictive of both educational attainment and income, showing a more pronounced relationship with educational attainment. The IV analyses show consistent results. This study contributes to the literature by detailing the influence of school spending on academic resilience and its connection to future success, thus supporting policy development aimed at fostering social inclusion.