Estimation of the school competition level in the region of Madrid and its effects on academic performance

This article has two main goals. On the one hand, it will determine the current level of competition in the secondary education markets of the Madrid region through a series of indicators at municipal and district level (for the case of the city of Madrid). After that, it studies the effect of competition on academic performance, a variable that is seen as a key goal of the entire educational system, considering that the choice of the center will be determined by its ownership and location factors. Given that data is grouped into two levels (students and schools), a multilevel regression analysis will be performed. It is observed that, on average, competition has a positive effect on academic performance, although it penalizes immigrant students. These students tend to be enrolled in public schools, which have a below-average performance, and the probability that students' parents have been to university is much lower than the figure for the whole of the student body. Bearing in mind. the aspects that affect efficiency and. equality, it would be advisable to promote educational policies which, while adding educational markets and seeking to increase the range of options available to applicants, offer advice to families of lower socio-economic levels and. immigrant students, as well as incentives so that schools have a minimum percentage of students from families with lower socio-economic status.