article by Harounan Kazinga, Dan Levy, Leigh Linden, and Matt Sloan
This paper has been assigned as required reading in the CDE spring elective, Program Evaluation, in a portion of the course dedicated to practice with regression discontinuity.
Abstract:
We evaluate a 'girl-friendly' primary school program in Burkina Faso using a regression discontinuity design. After 2.5 years, the program increased enrollment by 19 percentage points and increased test scores by 0.41 standard deviations. For those caused to attend school, scores increased by 2.2 standard deviations. Girls' enrollment increased by 5 percentage points more than boys' enrollment, but they experienced the same increase in test scores as boys. The unique characteristics of the schools are responsible for increasing enrollment by 13 percentage points and test scores by 0.35 standard deviations. They account for the entire difference in the treatment effects by gender.
Citation:
Kazianga, H., D. Levy, L. L. Linden and M. Sloan (2013). "The Effects of "Girl-Friendly" Schools: Evidence from the BRIGHT School Construction Program in Burkina Faso." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 5(3): 41-62.