Is more time in school worth it? Effects of two-shift schooling on test performance from a longitudinal study in Colombia

To improve coverage of the school system at the primary and secondary education levels, schools in various countries have introduced partial school days. This policy is supposed to allow two or more shifts of students to use the same infrastructure and be instructed by the same teachers but reduces the time children spend in school. However, despite some positive effects on coverage, two-shift schooling has negative impacts on various learning outcomes, such as students’ performance on standardized tests. Moreover, there are significant implications of this policy on the ability of the school system to contribute  to increasing social equity. Using longitudinal data from Pruebas Saber in Colombia, this research explores the impact of a full day of school (versus attending only the morning or afternoon shift) on performance in mathematics and language. The role of a variety of critical demographic determinants –such as the socio-economic background of the students or differences between urban and rural schools– are examined. Additionally, the effect of differences in the schools’ quality is also considered. Findings are discussed in light of the implications for inequality and future policy decisions.

Speaker:

Isabel de Brigard, Education Policy Expert, Colomiba

is a Colombian born education policy specialist based in Berlin. She holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, a program she joined with a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Her professional experience includes working for Dejusticia, an NGO dedicated to the strengthening of the rule of law and the promotion of social justice in Colombia and the global south, consultancy work in an agency specialized in using data science to understand psychosocial phenomena, and several years of research experience in and out of academia. She also worked for some years as a high school teacher, which gives her valuable first-hand experience in the education sector. Isabel is particularly interested in education as a vehicle for social justice and social mobility. In recent years, she has focused on complimenting her background in social sciences with quantitative research and data management skills. Her master’s thesis “Is more time in school worth it? Effects of two-shift schooling on test performance from a longitudinal study in Colombia” is an example of such work and can be found on GitHub: @isabeldebrigard.