Researchers
Beatriz Magaloni (Principal Investigator) - Stanford University
Edgar Franco Vivanco - Stanford University

This project is focused on understanding why education in Mexico and Latin America is poorly administered. The main objective is to provide some insights about how to improve the cognitive and non-cognitive achievement of students, particularly those who live under conditions of poverty. Using a careful evaluation of public policies and large data sets at student level this research seeks to guide governments and agencies interested in education in Latin America.  The scope of this research includes analises of: infrastructure funding of schools at local level, teacher quality and training, incentives of schooling provision as a public good, value-added measures, and teacher incentives.

Currently, the project is studying the intersection between education and violence in the context of Mexico’s war on drugs.

Using school-level data on student achievement and attainment to measure the effect of violence on human capital, our research currently examines several aspects of the relationship between drug-related crime and educational performance in Mexico, including: how violence impacts students’ cognitive and non-cognitive skills, the relationship between dropouts and violence, the incidence of gang activity near schools, and the impact of government policies that target violence in schools.

Contact
Beatriz Magaloni