Improving School Enrollment in Developing Countries : The Campbell Collaboration

Considerable amounts have been devoted to improving school enrollment and attendance in developing countries. A recent Campbell systematic review finds evidence that these efforts are having an impact.

A team led by Anthony Petrosino, Senior Research Associate at WestEd, analysed 73 experimental and quasi-experimental effect studies on interventions to promote student enrollment, attendance, graduation and progression in developing countries. This is the first systematic review on the subject.

The review finds that positive and statistically significant effects of these interventions across the four main outcomes. Positive effects were also reported on two supplemental outcomes (math and language achievement), but results on standardized test scores and other achievement outcomes were inconclusive effects.