OUR RESEARCH PORTFOLIO

The LEAPS team has pursued transformational research for over 20 years with the aim of addressing market frictions to improving student learning. Our team's research has shown how lifting informational, labor market, financial, and service failures in Pakistan can reverse the education productivity decline. LEAPS data has also been used by a wide network of researchers to study subjects ranging from girls’ education to the impact of teacher characteristics on learning. The result is over 40 unique studies and more than 30 publications and working papers. We break our research down into 11 categories ranging from schools to the labor market to policy and practice.

 Explore our Research by Category

Or visit our publications page for a complete list of papers and working papers

  • close up of map of Pakistan

    Mapping the Ecosystem

    How do the multiple actors in the education system interact and what are the frictions that prevent better outcomes?

  • smiling Pakistani teacher kneeling in front of rows of her students

    Teachers

    The importance of teachers and how to recruit, reward and retain them.

  • Pakistani classroom with teacher at the front and rows of students in school uniform

    Schools

    Most children now live in villages with multiple public and private schools to choose from. How do they navigate these complex landscapes, and how do schools, in turn, respond to parental demand?

  • Pakistani family with mother, aunt, father, and two young girls facing the camera and smiling

    Households

    Families make many educational choices for children. How do household characteristics affect school choice and other educational investments?

  • Pakistani boy student leaning over open textbook and writing

    Targeted Instruction

    Targeted instruction tailors teaching to a student’s current learning level but is often prohibitively expensive in low-income countries like Pakistan.

  • smiling pakistani girl holding a tablet

    EdTech and Innovation

    We use EdTech specifically developed for low-digital literacy settings to overcome the challenge of low technology take-up in under-resourced settings.

  • Pakistani school girl in a white shalwar kameez writing in a book surrounded by other students

    Test Scores and Learning Trajectories

    What do test scores measure, how do they evolve over time and do test scores predict future outcomes?

  • Pakistani women sitting in a circle working on colorful textiles

    Labor Market and Life Outcomes

    How does schooling affect life outcomes among young adults? The first results from the 15 year follow-up of 5000+ children in the LEAPS data.

  • Pakistani student at her desk pointing to words in an open Urdu book

    Information and Accountability

    Our groundbreaking report cards study has proven to be one of the most cost-effective and impactful interventions according to the "Smart Buys" report.

  • Empty classroom in a low-income school with whiteboard and broken bench

    Education Financing

    Does more money make a school better? Read more about our three experiments that study the impact of grants and loans on school and student outcomes.

  • Older woman wearing a red shalwar kameez talking into a microphone

    Policy and Practice

    Translating research findings into impactful policy change is difficult. Learn how the LEAPS team works with local governments in Pakistan to do just that.