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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 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, which emerges as a critical factor for the scalability of the program. Our findings offer compelling evidence on the socially determined drivers of education interventions at scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Agostinelli & Ciro Avitabile & Matteo Bobba, 2023. "Enhancing Human Capital in Children: A Case Study on Scaling," NBER Working Papers 31407, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31407
    Note: CH
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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 Jul 2024.
    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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