Automatic Grade Promotion and Student Performance: Evidence from Brazil

Martin Foureaux Koppensteiner

No 11/52, Discussion Papers in Economics from Division of Economics, School of Business, University of Leicester

Abstract: This paper examines the effect of automatic grade promotion on academic achievement in 1,993 public primary schools in Brazil. A difference-in-differences approach that exploits variation over time and across schools in the grade promotion regime allows the identification of the treatment effect of automatic promotion. I find a negative and significant effect of about 7% of a standard deviation on math test scores. I provide evidence in support of the interpretation of the estimates as disincentive effect of automatic promotion. The findings contribute to the understanding of retention policies by focussing on the ex-ante effect of repetition and are important for more complete cost-benefit considerations of grade retention.

Keywords: Grade retention; automatic promotion; incentives to learn; primary education; Brazil. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H52 I21 I28 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-11, Revised 2013-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-lab and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Automatic grade promotion and student performance: Evidence from Brazil (2014)
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