Does Spending Longer at School Increase Educational Attainment? Evidence from the Full-Time School Program in Junior High Schools in Mexico

Abstract

This article aims to offer evidence on the impact of Mexico’s Full-Time School Program (PETC) on the percentage of third-grade junior high school students displaying unsatisfactory or outstanding levels of attainment. This impact was estimated using propensity score matching for schools joining the program for the first time in the 2014-2015 school year. The impact is estimated for 2015, 2017 and 2019. The results show no significant effect from the program on attainment in mathematics; this null effect persists 4 years after the program started.

Keywords

• educational policy
• full-time school
• academic achievement
• junior high school