The government of El Salvador, together with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), implemented an initiative that seeks to address poverty and economic development in the Northern Zone of El Salvador. The initiative has two components: (1) human development and (2) productive development. Within the human development component, Mathematica evaluated four activities: (1) a scholarship program targeted to technical secondary school students; (2) strengthening of selected technical secondary schools; (3) renovation of a post-secondary school; and (4) a vocational skills training program. Within the productive development component, we evaluated a farmer/artisan assistance program and a loan program.

Mathematica designed the evaluation methodologies for three activities in the education component and for the productive development component. These methodologies include a randomized design to evaluate the scholarship component, a matched comparison group design to evaluate the strengthening of technical secondary schools, a randomized rollout design to evaluate the farmer/artisan assistance program and an in-depth case study of the loan program. Mathematica also monitored and advised the MCC on the implementation plan and designed the surveys and customized survey instruments to be used for the studies. Mathematica has also prepared baseline and interim reports on the achievements of the farmer assistance program, the secondary school intervention, and the scholarship program.

Mathematica staff monitored the implementation plans to assure they reflect evaluation designs, designing the evaluation plan for the vocational training program, and monitoring data collection for final rounds of surveys and preparing final reports.