Intergenerational Mobility and Education - Evidence from Latin America

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to investigate the extent of social mobility in Latin America. Using educational attainment as a proxy for socioeconomic status in 18 Latin American countries, this study estimates ordinary-least-squared regressions of the persistence of educational attainment across generations. Furthermore, the role of ethnicity and gender is explored more in detail. Drawing on existing evidence, this thesis also elaborates on the potential determinants of social mobility and the implications for public policy. Additionally, the transition into higher education is assessed, using a linear probability model. We find that the correlation coefficient between parents’ and children’s education is approximately 0.56 and that the estimated beta-coefficient from the regressions is approximately 0.41. Mobility is slightly lower among females and the non-white population respectively. Moreover, there is a high probability that an individual will enrol in higher education, given that the parents have undertaken tertiary education. Increasing the availability of quality education, as well as the social mix within schools and the access to grants/student loans, may improve social mobility. Finally, the implications for public policy are discussed with reference to an illustrative case study, on the Brazilian Conditional Cash Transfer programme Bolsa Família.