Youth Transition to Upper Tracked Secondary School in Barcelona: a Longitudinal Analysis of Behavioural Engagement and Achievement

Abstract School tracking may influence school engagement and academic results, however, few studies have compared the evolution of engagement and achievement across different educational contexts. This study examines the relationship between academic achievement and behavioural school engagement during the transition to either the academic track or vocational track after compulsory education. Using a two-wave panel dataset of pupils from Barcelona ( n = 2056), we conducted a cross-lagged analysis to explore the interactions over time between self-reported marks and behavioural engagement. The findings indicate that tracking does not polarise pupils or foster anti-school attitudes and behaviours among those entering technical and vocational tracks. Notably, the results reveal an increase in both achievement and behavioural engagement, particularly among vocational track pupils. These findings contribute to the debate on the academic demands of post-compulsory education and the educational practices that encourage young people to remain in education beyond compulsory schooling.