The relevance of contextual factors on secondary school attendance among Costa Rican adolescents according to census information

Abstract

High school abandonment is a common problem in Latin America. The article analyzes the association between high school attendance among school-age youngsters and aggregated variables that describe the characteristics of areas where these persons live, in order to assess “neighborhood effects”. The analysis estimates a multi-level logistic model using census data. There is a positive association between the probability of attending secondary education and the socio-economic status of both the young person and the neighborhood. Young people with disabilities, those born in Nicaragua or who moved to another county within the country, and above all those who are working are less likely to attend an educational institution. Findings stress the idea that educational policies should take into account the social context in which the student lives in order to keep him studying.