This paper uses variation in the timing of the Mexican antipoverty program's introduction across municipalities to identify its impact on the share of votes for the local incumbent party. Evidence is found that voters reward the mayor's party for the central benefit to their constituencies,...

This book analyzes the reasons for lackluster performance selected Latin American countries in mobilizing subnational own-source revenues and explores policy options to increase these revenues as efficiently and equitably as possible. Seven case studies--Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia,...

This paper investigates the effects of political (mis)alignment on public service delivery when mandates are shared between state and local governments. We analyze sewage treatment policies in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Relying on difference-in-differences estimations, we establish a...

This study is designed to help practitioners prepare and evaluate institutional reforms for education and health programs. It provides an analytic framework for use by public officials and researchers, with case studies that illustrate a wide range of actual practice, and a set of lessons...

This paper asks a deceptively simple question. After over a decade of concern about and investment in primary education, what have been the results and how much further does the region need to go before it has achieved a primary education of quality for all children? The paper creatively reviews...

This paper explores the potential the community college model holds for Latin America. Several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have experience introducing short post-secondary courses and non university institutions, sometimes as a result of private initiative, sometimes as a matter...

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) welcomes the opportunity that the World Summit on Sustainable Development offers the development community to reflect on regional trends and the major challenges facing our member countries in environmental sustainability. The IDB prepared this document...

En este documento se analiza la organización de las escuelas secundarias en América Latina y el Caribe. Se tratan temas como son la provisión de escuelas para un conjunto estudiantil cada vez más heterogéneo y la triple función de preparar a los alumnos para la educación superior, formar...