Unveiling new dimensions of educational inequality in urban landscapes: insights from İstanbul
Turkish History of Education Research (TURKHER), cilt.1, sa.2, ss.151-170, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 1 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Dergi Adı: Turkish History of Education Research (TURKHER)
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Education Index (EI)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.151-170
- Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examines how urban functions and socio-spatial characteristics are associated with academic achievement across different types of upper secondary schools in Istanbul. Moving beyond generalized accounts of the space–achievement relationship, the study adopts a school-type-sensitive approach to investigate whether urban effects vary across institutional contexts. Using a district-level dataset comprising indicators of urban functions, population structure, household characteristics, economic conditions, and educational attainment, stepwise linear regression analyses were conducted for four groups of schools: all upper secondary schools admitting students through the centralized examination system, high-performing schools (Anatolian, Science, and Social Sciences High Schools), vocational and technical high schools, and Imam Hatip high schools. The findings reveal that access to private courses is a consistent positive predictor of academic achievement across all school types, underscoring the role of shadow education in reproducing educational inequalities. In contrast, the availability of green spaceis negatively associated with achievement, This study examines how urban functions and socio-spatial characteristics are associated with academic achievement across different types of upper secondary schools in Istanbul. Moving beyond generalized accounts of the space–achievement relationship, the study adopts a school-type-sensitive approach to investigate whether urban effects vary across institutional contexts. Using a district-level dataset comprising indicators of urban functions, population structure, household characteristics, economic conditions, and educational attainment, stepwise linear regression analyses were conducted for four groups of schools: all upper secondary schools admitting students through the centralized examination system, high-performing schools (Anatolian, Science, and Social Sciences High Schools), vocational and technical high schools, and Imam Hatip high schools. The findings reveal that access to private courses is a consistent positive predictor of academic achievement across all school types, underscoring the role of shadow education in reproducing educational inequalities. In contrast, the availability of green spaceis negatively associated with achievement, reflecting the concentration of high-performing schools in dense urban centers. School-type-specific analyses further demonstrate that human capital concentration and economic activity are critical for high-performing schools, demographic structure shapes vocational school outcomes, and spatial centrality and religious infrastructure are particularly salient for Imam Hatip high schools. Overall, the study highlights how uneven urban resource distribution contributes to differentiated educational inequalities and calls for equity-oriented policies that decouple academic success from spatial privilege. the concentration of high-performing schools in dense urban centers. School-type-specific analyses further demonstrate that human capital concentration and economic activity are critical for high-performing schools, demographic structure shapes vocational school outcomes, and spatial centrality and religious infrastructure are particularly salient for Imam Hatip high schools. Overall, the study highlights how uneven urban resource distribution contributes to differentiated educational inequalities and calls for equity-oriented policies that decouple academic success from spatial privilege.