School Effects and Costs for Private and Public Schools in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Using statistical methods to adjust for a bias in selectivity, this paper analyzes the relative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of public schools and two types of private schools - elite and non-elite - in the Dominican Republic. Controlling for selection, it found that students in eighth grade mathematics achieve more in both types of private school than they do in public schools, and achieve more in elite than in non-elite schools. Differences in teachers' backgrounds and teaching practices account for some of this difference in achievement, but differences in the students' peer background characteristics are substantially more important. Both types of private schools appear to be more cost-effective than public schools.

Keywords: Gender and Education, Teaching and Learning, Education Reform and Management, Health Monitoring & Evaluation, Primary Education