Research

• Laboratory Schools and Studdent Achievement: Evidence from Randomized Admissions in Brazil

Abstract: Laboratory schools employ highly qualified faculty and operate within university campuses. I exploit randomized admissions at eight such schools in Brazil to estimate causal effects on student outcomes. Using novel data linking 51,114 lottery applications to college records, I use lottery results as an instrument for enrollment. Enrollment raises college entrance exam scores by 0.11 standard deviations. Score gains are largest in the middle of the income distribution and absent at the top. Enrollment also raises the probability of admission to a public university by 6.0 percentage points, reflecting both higher scores and access to the quota reserving seats for public-school students. Among high-income students, enrollment raises quota use by 36.8 percentage points, but this does not translate into higher admission rates or admission to more competitive programs.