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Do slum upgrading programs impact school attendance?

Author

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  • Zanoni, Wladimir
  • Acevedo, Paloma
  • Guerrero, Diego A.

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of slum upgrading programs on elementary school attendance, a strong predictor of dropout and adult outcomes. Slum upgrading programs are interventions in impoverished areas that involve building housing, roads, sewerage systems, and installing public lighting. Using administrative data on Uruguayan students, we examine the effects of slum upgrading programs on school attendance. The study employs a regression discontinuity design based on the eligibility rule that considers a slum eligible for the program when it has 40 or more dwelling units. The results show that students exposed to slum upgrading programs had 28 fewer absences (16 percent of the school year or 70 percent of the total missed days that qualify a student as having insufficient attendance), and lower probability of being recurrent absentees. This study provides insights into the impact of slum upgrading programs on human capital accumulation among low-income children.

Suggested Citation

  • Zanoni, Wladimir & Acevedo, Paloma & Guerrero, Diego A., 2023. "Do slum upgrading programs impact school attendance?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:96:y:2023:i:c:s027277572300105x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2023.102458
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    Cited by:

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    2. Barrado, Beatriz & Fernández-Gutiérrez, Marcos & Gimenez, Gregorio, 2024. "Exposure to drug trafficking and school truancy: Empirical evidence from Costa Rica," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    3. Monika Kuffer & Dana R. Thomson & Dianne Wakonyo & Nicera Wanjiru Kimani & Divyani Kohli-Poll Jonker & Enyo Okoko & Rasak Toheeb & Bisola Akinmuyiwa & Mohammed Zanna & Dezyno Imole & Andrew Maki, 2025. "Data Are Power: Addressing the Power Imbalance Around Community Data with the Open-Access Data4HumanRights Curriculum," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Slum upgrading; School absences; Regression discontinuity; Uruguay; School attendance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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