Impacto do Programa Alfabetização na Idade Certa (PAIC) sobre a trajetória escolar no ensino médio

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of the Literacy at the Right Age Program (PAIC) on the approval rate in the first year of upper secondary education in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Using the Differences-in-Differences (DiD) methodology, municipalities in Ceará that implemented PAIC were compared with neighboring municipalities that did not adopt this educational policy. The results indicate that the initiative increased the approval rate of students enrolled in upper secondary education by an average of 0.96 percentage points, contributing to the reduction of school dropout rates from 2015 onwards. Additional sensitivity tests and heterogeneity analyses confirmed the robustness of the empirical strategy adopted. It is concluded that PAIC is an effective educational policy for reducing educational inequalities and improving early literacy levels. Thus, Ceará's experience may serve as a reference for other regions in Brazil facing similar challenges in basic education.