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Comprehensive private schooling for low-income children: Experimental case-study evidence from Mexico

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  • Santibañez, Lucrecia
  • Saavedra, Juan E.
  • Kattan, Raja B.
  • Patrinos, Harry A.

Abstract

We use first-grade lottery-based admissions to estimate impacts and cost-effectiveness of a subsidized comprehensive private school for low-income children in Mexico City, part of a philanthropic organization supporting and operating similar schools worldwide. Relative to students who did not win the lottery, CHM lottery winners gain additional 0.18 SD in literacy and 0.09 SD in numeracy over the first three years of elementary school. Parents of lottery winners are more likely to report children’s school is academically demanding, rate the school higher and have greater expectations of children’s college completion. Achievement gains come at an increased cost relative to counterfactual public schools of $1000/pupil-year, which suggests low cost-effectiveness. Higher cost is explained by greater array of services and few economies of scale. Despite the high per student cost, this robust case study suggests philanthropic private schools have great potential to improve achievement amongst the region’s most vulnerable students and reduce longstanding learning and opportunity gaps.

Suggested Citation

  • Santibañez, Lucrecia & Saavedra, Juan E. & Kattan, Raja B. & Patrinos, Harry A., 2021. "Comprehensive private schooling for low-income children: Experimental case-study evidence from Mexico," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:87:y:2021:i:c:s0738059321001474
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2021.102494
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Private schools; International education/studies socioeconomically disadvantaged students; Randomized controlled trial; Mexico; Comprehensive schools; Latin America;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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