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Enhancing Human Capital in Children: A Case Study on Scaling

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Agostinelli
  • Ciro Avitabile
  • Matteo Bobba

Abstract

This paper provides novel insights into the science of scaling by examining an educational mentoring program in Mexico. The empirical analysis encompasses two independent field experiments and seizes a unique opportunity to learn from the government’s implementation of the same intervention. While the program originally implemented at scale demonstrates limited effectiveness, the introduction of a new modality with enhanced mentor training significantly improves children’s outcomes. Mentor-parent interactions are found to stimulate parental engagement at the community-school level. Our findings support the hypothesis that parents can play an important role in facilitating the scalability of educational programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Agostinelli & Ciro Avitabile & Matteo Bobba, 2025. "Enhancing Human Capital in Children: A Case Study on Scaling," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 133(2), pages 455-491.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/732886
    DOI: 10.1086/732886
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    Cited by:

    1. Francisco Gallego & Philip Oreopoulos & Noah Spencer, 2023. "The Importance of a Helping Hand in Education and in Life," NBER Working Papers 31706, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. John A. List & Haruka Uchida, 2024. "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? Toward an Understanding of Fade-out in Early Childhood Education Programs," NBER Working Papers 33027, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Guglielmo Briscese & John A. List, 2024. "Toward an Understanding of the Political Economy of Using Field Experiments in Policymaking," NBER Working Papers 33239, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Tom‡s Larroucau & Ignacio A. Rios & Ana•s Fabre & Christopher Neilson, 2025. "College Application Mistakes and the Design of Information Policies at Scale," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2461, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    5. Bobba, Matteo & Frisancho, Veronica & Pariguana, Marco, 2016. "Perceived Ability and School Choices: Experimental Evidence and Scale-up Effects," TSE Working Papers 16-660, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Mar 2026.
    6. Gallego, Francisco A. & Molina, Oswaldo & Neilson, Christopher A., 2025. "Lights, camera, school: Information provision though television during COVID-19 times," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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