How to raise education quality through better teacher policies?

Implications for Latin America

CHIEF, EDUCATION DIVISION INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK JANUARY 4, 2013

EMILIANA VEGAS

In Latin America, signicant progress has been made in expanding access

9,5 of every 10 children enter primary education at the adequate age

7,5 of every 10 students enter secondary education

And about 1/3 of all secondary school graduates enter postsecondary education

Source: World Bank

 but quality remains low

Average Reading Scores in PISA 2009
600

High-performing countries Canada United States

500

400

300

200

Latin America

100

Source: OECD (2011)

Latin American students have low average achievement, with some countries also having high inequality
Average Reading Scores in PISA 2009
600 550 500 450 400 350 300

S. Korea

Finland Canada United

States

Hong-Kong

Japan

Chile Uruguay Mexico Colombia Brazil Argentina Peru

70

80

90
Standard Deviation

100

110

Source: OECD (2011)

International evidence indicates that teachers are the most important factor in student learning
254 248 236 229 238 241

Base year 1-2 years 3-4 years

Base year 1-2 years

3-4 years

Low SES
Source: SIMCE 2008

Average SES

What teacher policies matter most?

Together with colleagues at The World Bank, we identied policies based on:

Relationship to student learning either through theory or empirical evidence Priorities for resource allocation Actionable by governments

8 teacher policy goals

Setting 8 Motivatingclear teachers to expectations for teachers 2 perform Attracting 7 Supporting the best teachers to into improve teaching instruction Effective teachers 3 Preparing 6 teachers Monitoring with useful teaching & training & learning experience 5 Leading 4 Matching teachers with teachers skills strong with students principals needs

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Analysis of top performing countries informs ratings for each teacher policy goal
Top performing
Japan Chinese Taipei Hungary Singapore Netherlands

Advanced Established Emerging

Top performing and rapidly improving

Hong Kong (China) Ontario (Canada) Finland
Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Belgium South Korea Shanghai (China)

Latent

Example
Setting 8 Motivatingclear teachers to expectations for teachers 2 perform Attracting 7 Supporting the best teachers to into improve teaching instruction Effective teachers 3 Preparing 6 teachers Monitoring with useful teaching & training & learning experience 5 Leading 4 Matching teachers with teachers skills strong with students principals needs

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

3 Preparing: Policy levers and

indicators
Are there minimum standards for pre-service teaching education programs?

"

What is the minimum level of education required to become a teacher?

Primary school teachers Secondary school teachers Primary school teachers Secondary school teachers Primary school teachers Secondary school teachers

To what extent are teacher-entrants required to be familiar with classroom practice?

"

Do teacher entrants have opportunities to learn from other teachers through induction, mentoring, or student experience programs? How much classroom experience must beginning teachers have?

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

3 Preparing: Classication
rubric
Emerging'
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5B

Policy'Lever

Latent

Established
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5A$

Advanced
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ above$ISCED$5A

Are$there$ minimum$ The minimum$level$of$ standards$for$pre1 education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ service$teaching$ ISCED$4A$or$below education$ programs? To$what$extent$are$ teacher1entrants$ required$to$be$ familiar$with$ classroom$practice?
Teacher$entrants$are$ not$required to$have$ prior classroom$ experience$(either$in$ initial$teacher$ education$or$through$ mentoring$or$ induction$programs),$ or$if$they$do,$it$is$of$ less$than$3$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$$ for$a$total$duration$of$ more$than$3$but$less$ than$12$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 12 to24$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$both$ classroom$experience$ in$initial$teacher$ education$and$ through$induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 24$months$or$more

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

3 Preparing: Classication
rubric
Emerging'
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5B

Policy'Lever

Latent

Established
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5A$

Advanced
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ above$ISCED$5A

Are$there$ minimum$ The minimum$level$of$ standards$for$pre1 education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ service$teaching$ ISCED$4A$or$below education$ programs? To$what$extent$are$ teacher1entrants$ required$to$be$ familiar$with$ classroom$practice?
Teacher$entrants$are$ not$required to$have$ prior classroom$ experience$(either$in$ initial$teacher$ education$or$through$ mentoring$or$ induction$programs),$ or$if$they$do,$it$is$of$ less$than$3$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$$ for$a$total$duration$of$ more$than$3$but$less$ than$12$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 12 to24$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$both$ classroom$experience$ in$initial$teacher$ education$and$ through$induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 24$months$or$more

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

3 Preparing: Classication
rubric
Emerging'
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5B

Policy'Lever

Latent

Established
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5A$

Advanced
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ above$ISCED$5A

Are$there$ minimum$ The minimum$level$of$ standards$for$pre1 education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ service$teaching$ ISCED$4A$or$below education$ programs? To$what$extent$are$ teacher1entrants$ required$to$be$ familiar$with$ classroom$practice?
Teacher$entrants$are$ not$required to$have$ prior classroom$ experience$(either$in$ initial$teacher$ education$or$through$ mentoring$or$ induction$programs),$ or$if$they$do,$it$is$of$ less$than$3$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$$ for$a$total$duration$of$ more$than$3$but$less$ than$12$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 12 to24$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$both$ classroom$experience$ in$initial$teacher$ education$and$ through$induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 24$months$or$more

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

3 Preparing: Classication
rubric
Emerging'
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5B

Policy'Lever

Latent

Established
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ ISCED$$5A$

Advanced
The minimum$level$of$ education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ above$ISCED$5A

Are$there$ minimum$ The minimum$level$of$ standards$for$pre1 education$required$to$ become$a$teacher$is$ service$teaching$ ISCED$4A$or$below education$ programs? To$what$extent$are$ teacher1entrants$ required$to$be$ familiar$with$ classroom$practice?
Teacher$entrants$are$ not$required to$have$ prior classroom$ experience$(either$in$ initial$teacher$ education$or$through$ mentoring$or$ induction$programs),$ or$if$they$do,$it$is$of$ less$than$3$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$$ for$a$total$duration$of$ more$than$3$but$less$ than$12$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$ classroom$experience$ during$initial$teacher$ education or$to$have$ participated$in$ induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 12 to24$months

Teacher$entrants$are$ required to$have$both$ classroom$experience$ in$initial$teacher$ education$and$ through$induction$or$ mentoring$programs$ for$a$total$duration$of$ 24$months$or$more

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Student performance & teacher policies in OECD Countries that have applied SABER-Teachers
Chile Mexico Japan South Korea Singapore Shanghai-China
Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

600

Student performance

PISA average score in reading

550

500

450

400

350

300 1997

2000

2003

2006

2009

2012

Source: OECD

1 Setting clear expectations for teachers

Chile

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

2 Attracting the best into teaching

Chile

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

3 Preparing teachers with useful training and experience

Chile

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

4 Matching teachers skills with students needs

Chile

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

5 Leading teachers with strong principals

Chile

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

6 Monitoring teaching and learning

Chile

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

7 Supporting teachers to improve instruction

Chile

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

8 Motivating teachers to perform

Chile

Source: SABER-Teachers

South Korea

Singapore

Shanghai

Mexico

Japan

Policy emphasis
Chile

Motivating
8

Setting
2

Mexico
1

Republic of Korea
1 2 8 2

Attracting Preparing

Supporting
7

4 5

Matching

6 5

Monitoring

6 5

Leading

Shanghai
1 8 2 8

Japan
1 2 8

Singapore
1 2

6 5

6 5

6 5

Source: World Bank, SABER-Teachers

Setting Priorities for Policy Intervention

4 teacher policy proles

Less direct government involvement

More direct government involvement

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Setting Priorities for Policy Intervention

4 teacher policy proles

Professional Autonomy Select the best into teaching Prepare teachers exceptionally well Give teachers ample autonomy
Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Setting Priorities for Policy Intervention

4 teacher policy proles

Shared Responsibility Excellent teaching is a shared responsibility Collaboration and peer accountability

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Setting Priorities for Policy Intervention

4 teacher policy proles

Career Development Support teacher professional development Formative assessment Strong instructional leaders as school heads
Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Setting Priorities for Policy Intervention

4 teacher policy proles

Performance management Tight control over teachers work Leave nothing to chance

Source: Vegas and others, 2012

Some Conclusions

Our understanding of the teacher policies that work to attract, develop, motivate and retain effective teachers has evolved substantially in recent years Taking into account the 8 teacher policy goals helps guide better decisions Understanding what teacher policy proles better suit the specic context is important to maximize the potential impact of reforms to teacher policies

Loose Ends and Suggestions for Future Research

Gap between policy design and implementation capacity to implement reforms in Latin America and other developing countries Technical and political economy analyses both are needed Deepen the analysis of common proles of lowperforming countries Further analysis of the policy pathways of top performing countries

How to raise education quality through better teacher policies?

EMILIANA VEGAS
EVEGAS@IADB.ORG