Thread:
Apologies if this is tiresome, but I feel obligated to respond to a recent thread by @mulagostarr, head of a philanthropic foundation that funds many people I respect, publicly asserting my work with @marome1 is “unfair” and “misleading”.
Apologies if this is tiresome, but I feel obligated to respond to a recent thread by @mulagostarr, head of a philanthropic foundation that funds many people I respect, publicly asserting my work with @marome1 is “unfair” and “misleading”.
@mulagostarr @marome1 Context: Kevin’s philanthropy, @MulagoFound, donated $1m to @BridgeIntlAcads, a for-profit company that started running schools in Liberia in 2016. We led an RCT to evaluate Bridge and other private operators in Liberia. Kevin’s unhappy with our description of the RCT results.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads Now let’s address Kevin’s points. You can read his thread for yourself, but I’ve tried to summarize the key claims.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads 1. “Bridge didn’t kick kids out of school (or if they did, that’s been fixed).”
This is false. Expulsions in year 1 were well documented in the media and RCT. But the RCT also found Bridge *further* harmed enrollment and dropout by year 3. It's an ongoing problem.
This is false. Expulsions in year 1 were well documented in the media and RCT. But the RCT also found Bridge *further* harmed enrollment and dropout by year 3. It's an ongoing problem.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads 2. “The RCT report downplays HUGE learning gains”
Let’s focus on the numbers, not adjectives. The ITT effect (0.19sd) is the same after one and three years. That means kids could read an additional 4 words per minute on average, and 5-8 additional words among the best operators.
Let’s focus on the numbers, not adjectives. The ITT effect (0.19sd) is the same after one and three years. That means kids could read an additional 4 words per minute on average, and 5-8 additional words among the best operators.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads 3. “There was no rush to scale; Bridge only wanted a small pilot.”
Bridge openly declared its ambition to take over all 2,700 schools in Liberia. See their own slide deck. When we complained about using the RCT *baseline* to justify expansion, Kevin criticized us publicly.
Bridge openly declared its ambition to take over all 2,700 schools in Liberia. See their own slide deck. When we complained about using the RCT *baseline* to justify expansion, Kevin criticized us publicly.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads 4. “It was too soon for an RCT.”
The RCT lasted 3 years. The Liberian govt demanded data in year 1 to hold private operators accountable for their management of public schools. Kevin had other priorities.
The RCT lasted 3 years. The Liberian govt demanded data in year 1 to hold private operators accountable for their management of public schools. Kevin had other priorities.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads 5. “Outsourcing is 'super cheap'”.
Costs have fallen (see chart), which is great. Even so, average spending remains >$120/pupil (plus teacher salaries), so the program more than triples current spending on public schools. Meanwhile, Liberia can’t make payroll.
Costs have fallen (see chart), which is great. Even so, average spending remains >$120/pupil (plus teacher salaries), so the program more than triples current spending on public schools. Meanwhile, Liberia can’t make payroll.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads 6. “The child rapes at MtM Academy occurred before Mulago arrived.”
100% true, as we've noted. Nevertheless, we were dismayed to see the RCT results on test scores used as cover for MtM’s founder Katie Meyler after the fact.
100% true, as we've noted. Nevertheless, we were dismayed to see the RCT results on test scores used as cover for MtM’s founder Katie Meyler after the fact.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads 7. “Nobody ever interfered with the RCT.”
Not for lack of trying. Despite the conflict of interest, Mulago didn't recuse itself on the board of IPA (@poverty_action) who ran the RCT with us, and @socfinuk and @bridgeintlacads wrote to our bosses and funders to impede us.
Not for lack of trying. Despite the conflict of interest, Mulago didn't recuse itself on the board of IPA (@poverty_action) who ran the RCT with us, and @socfinuk and @bridgeintlacads wrote to our bosses and funders to impede us.
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads @poverty_action @socfinuk We stand by what we wrote. See the full paper:
cgdev.org/sites/default/…
And replication data is here:
dataverse.harvard.edu/dataset.xhtml?…
cgdev.org/sites/default/…
And replication data is here:
dataverse.harvard.edu/dataset.xhtml?…
@mulagostarr @marome1 @MulagoFound @BridgeIntlAcads @poverty_action @socfinuk It’s a bit sad when the head of a philanthropy sees it as his job to shelter his grantees from independent scrutiny or accountability.
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