Since the Federal Republic came into existence, the Länder have reformed many important aspects of their school systems. Examples include school grades in the first grades of elementary school, grades for behavior (head grades), the binding nature of the transfer recommendation at the end of elementary school, compulsory religious instruction, and the compulsory inclusion of STEM subjects in the Abitur. How have such reforms affected the subject competencies and socio-emotional development of the affected students and their further life course? Using current and adequate microeconometric methods, we evaluate the effects of the school reforms.