Channeling Remittances to Education: A Field Experiment Among Migrants from El Salvador

89 Pages Posted: 30 Jun 2014 Last revised: 14 May 2023

See all articles by Kate Ambler

Kate Ambler

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Diego Aycinena

University of Pennsylvania; Universidad del Rosario - Faculty of Economics

Dean Yang

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Economics

Date Written: June 2014

Abstract

We implement a randomized experiment offering Salvadoran migrants matching funds for educational remittances, which are channeled directly to a beneficiary student in El Salvador chosen by the migrant. The matches lead to increased educational expenditures, higher private school attendance, and lower labor supply of youths in El Salvador households connected to migrant study participants. We find substantial "crowd-in" of educational investments: for each $1 received by beneficiaries, educational expenditures increase by $3.72. We find no shifting of expenditures away from other students, and no effect on remittances.

Suggested Citation

Ambler, Kate and Aycinena, Diego and Yang, Dean and Yang, Dean, Channeling Remittances to Education: A Field Experiment Among Migrants from El Salvador (June 2014). NBER Working Paper No. w20262, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2460581

Kate Ambler (Contact Author)

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ( email )

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Diego Aycinena

University of Pennsylvania ( email )

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Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Universidad del Rosario - Faculty of Economics ( email )

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Calle 14 # 4-69
Bogota
Colombia

Dean Yang

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy ( email )

440 Lorch Hall
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734-764-6158 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.umich.edu/~deanyang/

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Economics

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United States

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