We've all known kids who joke around in class, get up to mischief, and even skip school altogether, yet manage to ultimately thrive. But they are glaring exceptions. Classroom misbehavior and absenteeism, along with failing grades, are strong warning signs that a student is likely to repeat a grade or give up on school altogether down the line. In Latin America, where only 53% … [Read more...] about Text Messaging Parents to Boost Student Performance
COVID-19 and the Rise of Telemedicine
Telemedicine—the delivery of medical services through electronic means of communication—is potentially transformative, mitigating transportation problems, bringing care to rural communities and decreasing waiting times and medical costs. But its adoption in Latin America has been slow. Insufficient communication infrastructure and status quo biases, among other factors, … [Read more...] about COVID-19 and the Rise of Telemedicine
A Critical Moment for Central Bank Autonomy
Central banks in Latin America and the Caribbean have undoubtedly been part of the solution to our current crisis. Their prompt and effective reactions were made possible by the hard-won credibility that they gained in recent years. Behind those gains is the autonomy delegated to them to formulate and implement monetary policy to achieve their primary objective of maintaining … [Read more...] about A Critical Moment for Central Bank Autonomy
Compiling Latin America and the Caribbean’s Largest Repository of Behavioral Interventions
How do you keep people from gathering with friends and family during a pandemic? How do you improve school attendance among preschoolers? How do you make sure taxpayers pay their fair share? These are some of the questions researchers seek to solve so countries can continue to grow and prosper. Many issues come down to human behavior and how the right policy tools can nudge … [Read more...] about Compiling Latin America and the Caribbean’s Largest Repository of Behavioral Interventions
Ensuring Demand for COVID-19 Vaccinations
Nearly a million people have died of COVID-19 in Latin America so far, and the region is still struggling to get enough vaccine supply to protect the lives of its citizens. While Chile has fully vaccinated around 40% of its population, roughly comparable to the United States, only between 9% and 18% have received their first vaccine dose in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and … [Read more...] about Ensuring Demand for COVID-19 Vaccinations