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The performance of decentralized school systems : evidence from Fe y Alegría in Venezuela

Author

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  • Allcott, Hunt
  • Ortega, Daniel E.

Abstract

This program evaluation estimates the effects on standardized test scores of graduating from the Fe y Alegría private school system in Venezuela. The authors find an Average Treatment Effect on the order of 0.1 standard deviations (approximately 16 percent of the average score), using a control group of public school students. These effects are significantly larger for households at the bottom of the distribution, and smaller for those at the top. The authors posit that the better performance of the Fe y Alegría system stems from their labor contract flexibility and decentralized administrative structure.

Suggested Citation

  • Allcott, Hunt & Ortega, Daniel E., 2009. "The performance of decentralized school systems : evidence from Fe y Alegría in Venezuela," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4879, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4879
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    10. Galiani, Sebastian & Gertler, Paul & Schargrodsky, Ernesto, 2008. "School decentralization: Helping the good get better, but leaving the poor behind," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(10-11), pages 2106-2120, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wodon, Quentin & Ying, Yvonne, 2009. "Literacy and Numeracy in Faith-Based and Government Schools in Sierra Leone," MPRA Paper 16462, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. 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).
    3. Backiny-Yetna, Prospere & Wodon, Quentin, 2009. "Comparing the Performance of Faith-Based and Government Schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo," MPRA Paper 16463, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Parra Osorio, Juan Carlos & Wodon, Quentin, 2011. "El desempeño de los estudiantes de secundaria en los colegios de Fe y Alegría en Colombia: una cuestión de Fe y/o Alegría? [Academic performance of Fe y Alegria high school students in Colombia: is," MPRA Paper 28518, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Felipe Barrera-Osorio & Harry Anthony Patrinos & Quentin Wodon, 2009. "Emerging Evidence on Vouchers and Faith-based Providers in Education : Case Studies from Africa, Latin America, and Asia," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2644, December.
    6. Wodon, Quentin, 2013. "Faith-inspired, Private Secular, and Public Schools in sub-Saharan Africa: Market Share, Reach to the Poor, Cost, and Satisfaction," MPRA Paper 45363, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Backiny-Yetna, Prospere & Wodon, Quentin, 2009. "Comparing the Private Cost of Education at Public, Private, and Faith-Based Schools in Cameroon," MPRA Paper 16464, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Wodon, Quentin, 2022. "Global report on integral human development 2022: measuring the contributions of Catholic and other faith-based organizations to education, healthcare, and social protection," MPRA Paper 114809, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tertiary Education; Education For All; Secondary Education; Primary Education; Teaching and Learning;
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