RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Do More Public Sector School Resources Increase Learning Outcomes?
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 1122-12673R2
DO 10.3368/jhr.1122-12673R2
A1 Agüero, Jorge M.
A1 Favara, Marta
A1 Porter, Catherine
A1 Sánchez, Alan
YR 2026
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2026/04/01/jhr.1122-12673R2.abstract
AB We evaluate a large-scale government reform in Peruvian public secondary schools that lengthened the school day and invested in pedagogy, staffing, and infrastructure. Using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, we find that the program increased math and reading test scores by approximately 0.185 SD and 0.102 SD, respectively. For math only, we estimate that instructional time contributes approximately two-thirds of the effect, suggesting the importance of complementary inputs. The reform effectively enhanced school resources and increased students’ overall study time. Relative to other education interventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, the program delivered above-average learning gains but was relatively expensive.