Are scholarships effective in Spain? An impact assessment of the upper secondary non-tertiary level

España tiene un gran reto a futuro en la gran cantidad de individuos que no finalizan sus estudios más allá de la escolarización obligatoria y que se traduce en una alta tasa de abandono escolar prematuro y una baja tasa de graduación en secundaria post-obligatoria. En este marco, el objetivo de este trabajo es identificar si la política de becas, llevada a cabo durante el período 2004-2005 en España, ha sido eficaz en su objetivo de incrementar el porcentaje de alumnos que finalizan con éxito el nivel secundario post-obligatorio. Para ello se aplicará una evaluación de impacto (ex-post) con información individual para conocer si hubo cambios en las tasas de finalización del nivel educativo estudiado y si los mismos son atribuibles a la intervención evaluada. La fuente de información es la Encuesta de Condiciones de Vida (ECV-2006). La interpretación de los resultados indica que las becas incrementan en más de un 40% las posibilidades de finalizar con éxito el nivel secundario post-obligatorio, para el caso de individuos con similares características. Este resultado es relevante teniendo en cuenta que el valor medio recibido por cada beneficiario de una beca o ayuda al estudio, durante este período fue de, aproximadamente, 1.000€ por año. En este sentido, si bien está claro que existen muchos elementos que acaban determinando el nivel educativo alcanzado por el individuo, se comprueba que el Estado mediante sus políticas públicas puede incorporar un elemento favorecedor del éxito escolar en un contexto de alto abandono escolar prematuro.The large number of individuals who do not complete their studies beyond compulsory schooling is an important challenge in Spain. This situation can be seen in high rates of early school leaving and low graduation rates in upper secondary education. In this context, the aim of this work is to identify whether the scholarship policy carried out in Spain during the 2004-2005 period has been effective in its goal of increasing the percentage of students who successfully complete the upper secondary level. A quasi-experimental design has been performed applying the Propensity Score Matching technique, the control group consisting of a representative sample of the target population who did not participate in the program. The information source was the Survey of Living Conditions (EUSILC-2006). Results indicate that scholarships increase in more than 40% the chances of completing post compulsory secondary level, in the case of individuals with similar characteristics. This result is relevant, taking into account that the average amount received by each recipient during this period was approximately € 1,000 by year. In this sense, although there are many elements determining the educational attainment of individuals, it is found that the State, through its public policies, can incorporate an element which enables of school success in a context of high early school leaving rates

Evaluating the impact of public subsidies on a firm's performance: A quasi-experimental approach

Many regional governments in developed countries design programs to improve the competitiveness of local firms. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of public programs whose aim is to enhance the performance of firms located in Catalonia (Spain). We compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with respect to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which retain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, change their business practices, improve their performance, and increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs.Public policy, evaluation studies, firm performance, propensity Score Matching.

Is there real freedom of school choice? An analysis from Chile

Between 1981 and 1990, Chile began to implement an education reform based on school choice and a financing system through vouchers. In theory, the System ensures complete freedom of choice of school by families. This paper attempts to identify the existence of factors that conditioned the enrolment process in the different types of schools existing nowadays in the Chilean educational system, the largest quasi-market of Latin America. Results show a social stratification and separation by schools and indicate how geographical distance and social composition are the most critical factors for families when choosing a school

Factors Influencing Teachers' Use of ICT in Class: Evidence from a Multilevel Logistic Model

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have become a key factor in the educational context, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and, correctly implemented, can help to improve academic performance. The aim of this research was to analyse the factors that influence teachers' decisions to use ICT more- or less frequently to carry out tasks and exercises in their classes. To this end, we estimated a multilevel logistic model with census data from the individualized evaluation of students of the Community of Madrid (Spain) carried out at the end of the 2018-2019 academic year in primary and secondary education. Additionally, we applied multiple imputation techniques to deal with missing values. Based on our results, we found that motivated teachers who have received ICT training, teach calm and respectful classes, and work at schools where students have access to digital devices and frequently use ICT at home, have a high predisposition to use ICT in their classes. Considering our results, our recommendations are aimed at improving teacher training in ICT, encouraging a frequent but responsible use of ICT at home, and increasing the provision of technological resources in schools

Determinantes políticos de las transferencias discrecionales: evidencia de la Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina

Este trabajo examina el impacto de la táctica política en la distribución de las transferencias de fondos discrecionales entre el gobierno provincial y los municipios. Se analizan las diferentes teorías basadas en modelos partidistas y no partidistas, contrastando las mismas empíricamente para los municipios de la provincia de Córdoba, en Argentina. Los resultados obtenidos permiten confirmar la existencia de factores políticos y económicos como determinantes de la asignación de las transferencias discrecionales y si bien ninguno de los modelos teóricos explicados se ven reflejados en sentido estricto, sí se observa una combinación entre ellos. This work examines the impact of political tactics in the distribution of the transfers of optional funds between a provincial government and its municipalities. The different theories based on partisan and non-partisan models are analyzed, contrasting them empirically for the municipalities of the province of Cordoba, in Argentina. The results obtained confirm the existence of economic and political factors as determinants of the assignment of optional transfers. Even though none of the theoretical models exposed are reflected in a strict sense, a combination of them is observed.Transferencias discrecionales; Táctica política; Córdoba, Argentina

Evaluating the Impact of Public Subsidies on a Firms Performance: a Quasi-experimental Approach

Many regional governments in developed countries design programs to improve the competitiveness of local firms. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of public programs whose aim is to enhance the performance of firms located in Catalonia (Spain). We compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with respect to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which retain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, change their business practices, improve their performance, and increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs.public policy, evaluation studies, firm performance, propensity score matching

Determinantes internos y externos en el proceso de aprendizaje. Una aproximación al caso español a partir de la ECV-05

El principal objetivo del trabajo es determinar el grado de influencia de los diferentes factores individuales y del entorno, familiar y social, en la capacidad de los individuos para alcanzar o no ciertos objetivos educativos, teniendo en cuenta los efectos posteriores de aquellos en relación con su inserción en el mercado de trabajo, su nivel salarial y su productividad (Card, 1999). Para ello, se ha aplicado un método de estimación de máxima verosimilitud, mediante la utilización de un logit ordenado, empleando el modulo especial de 2007 de la Encuesta de Condiciones de Vida de EUROSTAT dedicado a la transmisión intergeneracional de la pobreza. Esta base de datos cuenta con valiosa información acerca del individuo y la situación personal y familiar de éste cuando tenía entre 12 y 16 años, resultando representativa para las Comunidades Autónomas españolas y para la población inmigrante. Los resultados obtenidos, que van en la línea de la literatura empírica analizada; indican la relevancia del género, del estado de salud y del lugar de nacimiento, en cuanto a las variables referidas directamente al individuo y, en relación al resto de las variables utilizadas; destaca la importancia de la educación y el tipo de ocupación de los padres, de la estructura familiar y de la situación financiera existente en el momento en que el individuo se estaba educand

Do information and communication technologies (ICT) improve educational outcomes? Evidence for Spain in PISA 2015

With the world becoming increasingly digitalized, determining the relationship between the use of ICT in the learning process and educational outcomes takes on special relevance for guiding educational policy decisions in a reasoned way. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect on academic performance of the use and availability of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) at school and at home. For this purpose, we apply a hierarchical lineal regression model approach with data from the Programme for International Student assessment survey (PISA) 2015. PISA 2015 contains a brief but specific questionnaire for ICT that is completed voluntarily in some of the countries participating in the survey, as is the case in Spain. The results show differences in the sign of the impact according to the ICT variable used. The positive impact of ICT use is associated with its use for entertainment at home and with the students’ interest in ICT. However, the use of ICT for schoolwork at home and the general use of ICT by students in schools have negative effects on the learning process. Another significant result is the magnitude of the coefficient for the relation between the starting age for using ICT on the scores in the three competences. The higher the age, the lower the score achieved. The results of the regressions by tertiles of performance show that ICT can also play an important role in improving the academic performance of the students with the worst results. Finally, some control variables related to students, home and location are also relevant in our models.Programme for International Student Assessmen

¿Son las TIC un factor clave en la adquisición de competencias? Un análisis con evaluaciones por ordenador

Este artículo analiza los efectos de la tenencia y uso de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIc) en la adquisición de competencias (evaluadas por ordenador en la prueba de PIsa de 2012). los principales resultados son los siguientes. En primer lugar, se constata que las variables TIc inciden en mayor medida en la adquisición de matemáticas que en el resto de competencias evaluadas (comprensión lectora y ciencias). En segundo lugar, resulta relevante la variable TIc utilizada, ya que no todas inciden del mismo modo. Finalmente, existen algunos resultados dispares por género

Evaluación del impacto de los subsidios públicos en el funcionamiento de una empresa: una aproximación cuasi-experimental en dos etapas

In this paper we evaluate the effectiveness of regional R&D public programs in Catalonia (Spain) with a two-stage procedure. Firstly, we compare the performance of publicly subsidised companies (treated) with that of similar, but unsubsidised companies (non-treated). We use the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) methodology to construct a control group which, with regard to its observable characteristics, is as similar as possible to the treated group, and that allows us to identify firms which maintain the same propensity to receive public subsidies. Secondly, and once a valid comparison group has been established, we compare the respective performance of each firm using regression techniques. As a result, we find that recipient firms, on average, seem to increase their value added as a direct result of public subsidy programs.En este artículo se evalúa, utilizando una técnica en dos etapas, la efectividad de los programas públicos de I+D en Cataluña (España). Primero se comparan los resultados de las empresas subvencionadas (tratadas) con empresas similares, pero no subvencionadas (control). Se utiliza la metodología del Propensity Score Matching (PSM) para construir un grupo de control que sea lo más parecido posible, respecto a sus principales características, al grupo de tratamiento, que permita identificar a las empresas que presentan la misma propensión a recibir subsidios públicos. Segundo, una vez se ha establecido un grupo de comparación válido, se comparan los resultados de las empresas de los diferentes grupos utilizando técnicas de regresión. Como resultado, se encuentra que las empresas que reciben subvenciones, en promedio, parecen aumentar su valor añadido como resultado directo de los programas públicos