The impact of private schools on educational attainment in the state of São Paulo

Abstract

This study uses a comprehensive dataset on secondary school students in Brazil to examine the impact of private school enrollment on educational attainment in São Paulo. The results show that private school students (across all levels of tuition) perform better than their public school counterparts on Brazil’s high school exit exam, even after reducing sample selection bias via a variety of propensity score matching models. Ultimately, the author concludes that the significant achievement gains provided by low-fee and high-fee private secondary schools in Brazil strengthen the demand for private schooling despite recent increases in public spending.