School segregation (skolsegregation) means that students are sorted between schools based on socio-economic background, migration background, or parents' education level. Sweden has one of the most rapidly increasing levels of school segregation among OECD countries.
Causes
Segregation is driven by residential segregation (schools reflect their catchment area), free school choice (well-informed families tend to avoid schools with low results), and to some extent the establishment patterns of independent schools.
Consequences
Research shows that segregation worsens school results for students in disadvantaged areas — the so-called peer effect. It also reduces equity and counteracts the school's compensatory mission.