Teacher Policies and Quality Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

1. Teacher Policies and Quality Education in Latin America and the Caribbean Emiliana VegasChief of the Education Division Inter-American Development BankNovember 19, 2013

2. Contents • Howmuchprogress has beenmade in education in recentyears? • What are the currentmaineducationchallenges? • Teachers as central toraiseeducationquality

3. Significant progress has been made in expanding access… Enrolment rate by age and by education level Source: IDB/EDU 2012

4. Significant 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 post-secondary education Source: World Bank 2012

5. Public investment in education has increased Source: IDB/EDU calculations based on World Bank EdStats

6. Some LAC countries are showing improvements in international assessments of student learning Source: IDB/EDU calculationsbased OECD/PISA 2009 data

7. Some LAC countries are showing improvements in international assessments of student learning Source: IDB/EDU calculationsbased OECD/PISA 2009 data

8. Contents • Howmuchprogress has beenmade in education in recentyears? • What are the currentmaineducationchallenges? • Teachers as central toraiseeducationquality

9. The main education challenge is raising student learning Studentlearningis: • Low • Unequal • Inadequate

10. Student learning is low Source: IDB/EDU 2013 calculationsbasedon OECD/PISA 2009

11. Student learning is low Source: IDB/EDU calculationsbased OECD/PISA 2009 data

12. Few students reach high levels of proficiency Percentage of studentswho score in eachlevel in reading in PISA 2009 20.6% Level 5 and 6 0.4% Level 4 27.8% 4.7% Level 3 15.6% 27.1% Level 2 28.3% 15.6% Level 1 28.9% 6.1% 21.9% Below level 1 1.7% Mexico Finland Source: OECD 2009

13. Student learning is low vis a vis what would be predicted based on GDP per capita Latin American students score low in internationallearningassessmentssuch as PISA 550 Korea, Rep. of Finland Singapore Canada 500 Estonia Poland United States Hungary United Kingdom Portugal Czech Republic Slovakia Luxemburg Turkey 450 Chile Uruguay Mexico Scores in PISA 2009 Trinidad and Tobago Colombia Brazil 400 Argentina Panama Peru 350 0 20000 40000 60000 80000 PIB per capita Latin America and the Caribbean OECD Linear prediction Note: Adjusted GDP per capitaby PPP, constantdollars of 2005 Source: PISA-OECD 2009 and World Bank EdStats

14. Student learning is unequal Source: Bos, Rondón and Schwartz 2012

15. Girls score higher than boys in reading, and boys outperform girls in math Girls Source: SERCE 2006

16. Performance differences in indigenous students in reading and math Indigenous Source: SERCE 2006

17. Completion rates also are unequal Secondary school completion rates Quartile 1 (poorest 20%) Quartile 2 (richest 20%) Source: Cabrol and Szekely, 2012

18. Student learning is inadequate Weighted average Source: Graduatexxi, 2012. Calculationsbasedonhouseholdsurveys.

19. Student learning is inadequate Source: Bassi, Busso, Urzúa, & Vargas, 2012

20. Contents • Howmuchprogress has beenmade in education in recentyears? • What are the currentmaineducationchallenges? • Teachers as central toraiseeducationquality

21. Regional and international evidence indicates that teachers are the most important factor in student learning In Chile, having at least three consecutive years with an effective teacher reduces the learning gap between students from low SES and middle SES Low SES Base year 1 – 2 years 3 – 4 years Base year 1 – 2 years 3 – 4 years Source: SIMCE 2008

22. 5 Dimensions of Success of Top-Performing Education Systems 1 High expectations for student learning guide the provision and monitoring of education services 5 All graduates have the necessary skills to succeed in the labor market and contribute to society 2 Students entering the system are ready to learn To promote effective teaching and learning for all children and youth 4 All schools have adequate resources and are able to use them for learning 3 All students have access to effective teachers

23. 3 All students have access to effective teachers Key areas of action: • Transform the teaching profession to attract, develop, motivate, and retain the best professionals. • Strengthen the role of school directors and their leaders in how to improve teaching effectiveness. • Develop instructional support structures for networks of schools, principals and teachers.

24. The Inter-American Collaborative on the Teaching Profession • Contributes to close gaps in teachers’ and school leaders’ access to best practices to improve teaching and learning • Is a resource for better teacher policy decisions • Provides an easily accessible knowledge platform for research and practice to strengthen teaching quality and student learning in the region

25. Thank you! evegas@iadb.org www.iadb.org/education