Lack of validated research tools in Spanish-speaking countries has limited the extent to which educational research can expand. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the exploration of affective factors in reading. The need for research on reading and reading motivation in Latin American countries calls for valid, reliable tools to…

The objective of this study was to identify trajectories of school improvement experienced by Chilean elementary schools over the last decade. Using econometric analysis and controlling for potential confounding factors, we created an index of school performance combining outcome indicators focused on different school dimensions, and estimated the…

In this dissertation, I address the issue of social inequalities in education and the role of the education system in confronting them. The project involves two main parts, one empirical and the other conceptual. In the first part--chapters 1 and 2--I address the practical dimension of how to reduce social inequalities in education by exploring…