Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>In recent decades, countries in Latin America succeeded in significantly increasingly the number of students enrolled in schools yet have struggled to make similar strides in student learning. In order to help understand why this is the case, in this chapter we review the literature on the politics of education in the region. We show that, among a plethora of potential actors, teacher unions are, by far, the most ubiquitous and powerful across the region. We also discuss the ways in which common institutional arrangements, particularly centralization, have made it difficult for citizens to hold elected officials accountable for education outcomes, namely learning. We conclude by recommending that research in the future should focus on better understanding the key stakeholders, particularly how their preferences and power shape educational outcomes.</jats:p>