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Long-Term Educational Consequences of Secondary School Vouchers: Evidence from Administrative Records in Colombia

Author

Listed:
  • Joshua Angrist
  • Eric Bettinger
  • Michael Kremer

Abstract

Colombia's PACES program provided over 125,000 poor children with vouchers that covered the cost of private secondary school. The vouchers were renewable annually conditional on adequate academic progress. Since many vouchers were assigned by lottery, program effects can reliably be assessed by comparing lottery winners and losers. Estimates using administrative records suggest the PACES program increases secondary school completion rates by 15 to 20 percent. Correcting for the greater percentage of lottery winners taking college admissions tests, the program increased test scores by two-tenths of a standard deviation in the distribution of potential test scores. (JEL: I21, J12, I28)

Suggested Citation

  • Joshua Angrist & Eric Bettinger & Michael Kremer, 2006. "Long-Term Educational Consequences of Secondary School Vouchers: Evidence from Administrative Records in Colombia," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(3), pages 847-862, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:96:y:2006:i:3:p:847-862
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.96.3.847
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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    1. Long-Term Educational Consequences of Secondary School Voucher: Evidence from Administrative Records in Colombia (AER 2006) in ReplicationWiki

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