The “Developing” Achievement Gap

Colombian Voucher Reform

Bibliographic Data

ID11257481
AuthorsJonathan Stern (0000-0003-3486-5435, a Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, corresponding author), Jonathan M B Stern
Year2014
Volume89
Issue1
Pages43-57
Publication date2014-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePeabody Journal of Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0161-956X • E-ISSN: 1532-7930
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/0161956x.2014.862471
OpenAlexW2002532780
LanguageEN
References cited17

The achievement gap in many developing countries is defined in terms of rich/poor and public/private. The prevailing explanation for the “developing” achievement gap is an underfunded, inefficient, and/or inadequately supplied public school sector. Via an analysis of a Colombian voucher experiment, this article examines the extent to which income-contingent vouchers can narrow the achievement gap and provide a cost-effective method for increasing secondary school enrollments. Despite structural and implementation flaws, which diminish the program's impact on achievement and enrollments, its successes strengthen the argument that implementing an income-contingent voucher program can help narrow the achievement gap in developing countries. To cost-effectively increase enrollments, however, significant modifications and expansions to the program would be necessary—as explained in the conclusion of this article

Academic achievement · Argument (complex analysis · Developing country · Economic growth · Economics · Mathematics education · Public economics · Student achievement · Voucher · Income, Poverty, and Inequality · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology · School Choice and Performance · Accounting

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