Paeradigms Dialogue Series: Is more time in school worth it?

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…