Seeking a more Rational and Equitable Distribution of the Programs that are Intended, in Mexico, to Improving the Quality of Basic Education

Abstract

First a database was built to allow the identification of the schools that had implemented the programs oriented to improve quality on basic education. Then -controlling the levels of marginality of the schools’ localities- the academic effectiveness of the mentioned programs was estimated (expressed by the obtained school’s average of achievement, after the individual or combined implementation of the programs). When comparing the schools’ achievement with the obtained by the “witness schools” (schools where no program was implemented) marginal scores were estimated in relation to the program or a combination of them. Separately, the cost per pupil for each program -or combination of them- was calculated and then named “marginal costs” (as the implementation of the program represented an additional cost to the school’s regular operation cost). Thus when comparing those scores with the respective cost, the score/cost relationship was obtained. It was also considered that such relation represented the degree of efficiency to which, the financial resources intended for the program (or set of programs) were accordingly exploited. It was found that in few occasions, the effectiveness of the programs coincided with the efficiency of the same. For this reason, a pronouncement rule is proposed to distribute the programs (or their combinations) to the schools, by applying a criterion of equity.