Data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) in Germany: Starting Cohort 8 – Education for the World of Tomorrow in Grade 5 and Higher

The National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) is a longitudinal, multi-cohort study. Its most recent cohort, Starting Cohort 8, focuses on pathways through lower secondary school. Its initial sample, drawn in 2022, includes 6,141 students in fifth grade attending regular or special schools. Parents, school heads and teachers were also invited to participate in the survey. The longitudinal design, including annual competence testing and questionnaires provides research opportunities on competence development, its antecedents and consequences, through secondary school. A special feature is its connection to the IQB Trends in Student Achievement, a nationwide educational assessment in Germany, and new competence domains.