Empowering parents to improve education: evidence from rural Mexico

As part of efforts to implement school-based management (SBM), the Government of Mexico established AGE (Apoyo a la Gestión Escolar). This initative increased parents' involvement in school management by providing training and small monetary grants to parent associations. This study tests the hypothesis that AGE increase school accountability and education. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the authors show that the AGE was successful in increasing the participation of parents in monitoring school performance and decision-making. Furthermore, the authors find that AGE improved intermediate school quality indicators, namely grade failure and grade repetition, controlling for the presence of conditional cash transfer programs and other educational interventions.