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School decentralization: Helping the good get better, but leaving the poor behind

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  • Galiani, Sebastian
  • Gertler, Paul
  • Schargrodsky, Ernesto

Abstract

The decentralization of public services is a major feature of institutional innovation. The main argument in support of decentralization is that it brings decisions closer to the people, thereby alleviating information asymmetries and improving accountability. However, decentralization can also degrade service provision in poor communities that lack the ability to voice and defend their preferences. In this paper, we analyze the average and distributional effects of school decentralization on educational quality in Argentina. We find that decentralization had an overall positive impact on student test scores. The decentralization gains, however, did not reach the poor. Thus, although "bringing decisions closer to the people" may help the good get better, the already disadvantaged may not receive these benefits.

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Public Economics.

Volume (Year): 92 (2008)
Issue (Month): 10-11 (October)
Pages: 2106-2120

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Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:92:y:2008:i:10-11:p:2106-2120

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Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/505578

Related research

Keywords: Decentralization Education Inequality;

References

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  1. Lockwood, Ben, 1998. "Distributive Politics and the Costs of Centralization," CEPR Discussion Papers 2046, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  2. Jimenez, Emmanuel & Sawada, Yasuyuki, 1999. "Do Community-Managed Schools Work? An Evaluation of El Salvador's EDUCO Program," World Bank Economic Review, World Bank Group, vol. 13(3), pages 415-41, September.
  3. Behrman, Jere R. & King, Elizabeth M., 2001. "Household schooling behaviors and decentralization," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 321-341, August.
  4. Pranab Bardhan & Dilip Mookherjee, 2003. "Pro-Poor Targeting and Accountability of Local Governments in West Bengal," Boston University - Department of Economics - The Institute for Economic Development Working Papers Series dp-138, Boston University - Department of Economics.
  5. Bardhan, Pranab & Mookherjee, Dilip, 2005. "Decentralizing antipoverty program delivery in developing countries," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(4), pages 675-704, April.
  6. Eskeland, Gunnar S. & Filmer, Deon, 2002. "Autonomy, participation, and learning in Argentine schools - findings andtheir implications for decentralization," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2766, The World Bank.
  7. Miguel Urquiola, 2005. "Does School Choice Lead to Sorting? Evidence from Tiebout Variation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(4), pages 1310-1326, September.
  8. Timothy Besley & Maitreesh Ghatak, 2003. "Incentives, Choice, and Accountability in the Provision of Public Services," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 235-249, Summer.
  9. Sebastian Galiani & Ernesto Schargrodsky, 2001. "Evaluating the Impact of School Decentralization on Education Quality," Working Papers 41, Universidad de San Andres, Departamento de Economia, revised Dec 2001.
  10. Faguet, Jean-Paul, 2004. "Does decentralization increase government responsiveness to local needs?: Evidence from Bolivia," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3-4), pages 867-893, March.
  11. Ritva Reinikka & Jakob Svensson, 2004. "Local Capture: Evidence From a Central Government Transfer Program in Uganda," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 119(2), pages 678-704, May.
  12. Pranab Bardhan & Dilip Mookherjee, 2006. "Decentralisation and Accountability in Infrastructure Delivery in Developing Countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 116(508), pages 101-127, 01.
  13. Jones, Mark P. & Sanguinetti, Pablo & Tommasi, Mariano, 2000. "Politics, institutions, and fiscal performance in a federal system: an analysis of the Argentine provinces," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 305-333, April.
  14. Heckman, James J & Ichimura, Hidehiko & Todd, Petra E, 1997. "Matching as an Econometric Evaluation Estimator: Evidence from Evaluating a Job Training Programme," Review of Economic Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(4), pages 605-54, October.
  15. Hanushek, Eric A, 1986. "The Economics of Schooling: Production and Efficiency in Public Schools," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 24(3), pages 1141-77, September.
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Citations

Blog mentions

As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
  1. Tres puntos de partida para entender la calidad en la educación
    by Rosangela Bando in Hacia el desarrollo efectivo on 2012-06-27 11:58:28
  2. Development that Works: Three starting points to understand education quality
    by Rosangela Bando in Eval Central on 2012-06-27 11:58:50
Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
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Cited by:
  1. Samuel Berlinski & Sebastian Galiani & Paul Gertler, 2006. "The effect of pre-primary education on primary school performance," IFS Working Papers W06/04, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
  2. Paula Salinas & Albert Solé-Ollé, 2009. "Evaluating the effects of decentralization on educational outcomes in Spain," Working Papers 2009/10, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
  3. Christian Volpe Martincus & Jer�nimo Carballo & Pablo M. Garcia, 2012. "Public programmes to promote firms’ exports in developing countries: are there heterogeneous effects by size categories?," Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 44(4), pages 471-491, February.
  4. Dilip Mookherjee & Pranab Bardhan, 2005. "Decentralization, Corruption And Government Accountability: An Overview," Boston University - Department of Economics - Working Papers Series WP2005-023, Boston University - Department of Economics, revised Jun 2005.
  5. Nisha Arunatilake & Priyanka Jayawardena, 2008. "Will Formula-Based Funding and Decentralized Management Improve School Level Resources in Sri Lanka?," Working Papers PMMA 2008-12, PEP-PMMA.
  6. Meirelles, Patricia & Rodriguez, Catherine, 2010. "Devolution and Accountability Effects in the Public Provision of Water Services in Indonesia," Documentos CEDE Series 107395, Universidad de Los Andes, Economics Department.
  7. Rafael Di Tella & Sebastian Galiani & Ernesto Schargrodsky, 2006. "Crime Distribution and Victim Behavior during a Crime Wave," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0044, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
  8. Victoria Gunnarsson & Peter F. Orazem & Mario A. Sánchez & Aimee Verdisco, 2009. "Does Local School Control Raise Student Outcomes? Evidence on the Roles of School Autonomy and Parental Participation," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(1), pages 25-52, October.
  9. Allcott, Hunt & Ortega, Daniel E., 2009. "The performance of decentralized school systems : evidence from Fe y Alegría in Venezuela," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4879, The World Bank.
  10. Gertler, Paul & Patrinos, Harry & Rubio-Codina, Marta, 2008. "Empowering parents to improve education : evidence from rural Mexico," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3935, The World Bank.
  11. Rafael Di Tella & Sebastian Galiani & Ernesto Schargrodsky, 2006. "Crime Distribution & Victim Behavior During a Crime Wave," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp849, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
  12. Lugo, Maria Ana, 2011. "Heterogenous peer effects, segregation and academic attainment," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5718, The World Bank.
  13. Anila Channa & Jean-Paul Faguet, 2012. "Decentralization of Health and Education in Developing Countries: A Quality-Adjusted Review of the Empirical Literature," STICERD - Economic Organisation and Public Policy Discussion Papers Series 038, Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE.

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