1、IA CALL TO ACTIONSpark&Sustain How All the Worlds School Systems Can Improve Learning at ScaleFEBRUARY 2024IIA CALL TO ACTIONA CALL TO ACTIONThis research examines data from over 100 education systems,incorporates interview and survey insights from 50 systems,and deeply profles 14 systems beating to

2、 odds to deliver education improvements at scale.Note:The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply ofcial endorsement or acceptance by McKinsey&Company.Children could be lifted out of learning poverty if the conclusions from this report are put into actionStudents in low and middle-income

3、 countries are living in learning povertyWHY NOW?Children are in learning poverty7 in 10Spark&Sustain1 BillionCumulative learning loss from COVID-198 Months350 MillionCase StudiesCountries we spoke toNorwayEstoniaPolandPeruMoroccoSouth AfricaKenyaMalawiWashington D.C.LondonPunjabCearCountries we sur

4、veyedAcknowledgmentsThis article is a collaborative effort by Jake Bryant,Felipe Child,Ezgi Demirdag,Emma Dorn,Stephen Hall,Kartik Jayaram,Charag Krishnan,Cheryl Lim,Emmy Liss,Kemi Onabanjo,Frdric Panier,Juan Rebolledo,Jimmy Sarakatsannis,Doug Scott,Roman Tschupp,Seckin Ungur,and Pierre Vigin,repres

5、enting views from McKinseys global Education Practice.The authors wish to acknowledge the tireless work of school system leaders,school principals,and particu-larly classroom teachers,who have dedicated their lives to educating youth and who work every day to close gaps in student achievement.The au

6、thors are additionally grateful to the more than 200 individuals who shared their perspectives during the development of this paper.Particular thanks go to the following leaders and experts for their counsel and thought partnership:Luis Benveniste,Tracey Burns,Borhene Chakroun,Chinezi Chijoki,Euphra

7、tes Efosi Wose,David Evans,Judith Herbertson,Rob Jenkins,Wendy Kopp,Leanna Marr,Benjamin Piper,Lant Pritchett,Jaime Saavedra,Andreas Schleicher,Nic Spaull,Joanne Weiss,and Prachi Windlass.Many organizations,including Education World Forum,OECD,UNESCO,UNICEF,and the World Bank con-tributed to this ef

8、fort.The authors also wish to acknowledge current and former system leaders who shared their stories,as well as the many civil servants,donors,partners,and researchers who have contributed to education transformations.The authors would like to acknowledge Li-Kai Chen,the fearless leader of our globa

9、l education practice over the past decade,who sponsored and supported so many of us in this work and our careers.This report benefited from the contributions of many current and former McKinsey colleagues and advisers globally over multiple years,including Amaya Bremauntz Enriquez,Solly Brown,Avery

10、Cambridge,Tomas Calleja,Julian Carrigan,Alberto Chaia,Will Corbit,Gemma Corke,Nadine Diaz-Infante,Roland Dillon,Marco Dondi,Diana Ellsworth,Marcus Frank,Arne Gast,Ben Gummer,Ghita El Kadiri,Julia Jeffries,Ria Joneja,Jussi Hiltunen,Michael Horn,Jay Kloppenberg,Min-Jung Kim,Bengi Korkmaz,Jonathan Law,

11、An Lanh Le,Nate Levenson,Philip Lindsay,Nawal MJahad,Nomfanelo Magwentshu,Stephanie McBride,Alexa Meng,Lucia Mercado Cordova,Gloria Macias,David Meredith,Aldous Mitchell,Peggy Moriarty,Mike Munroe,Arooj Naveed Haq,Laura Ng,Bing Quek,Andrea Pagola,Ted Rounsaville,Paul Rutten,Shajia Sarfraz,Sidney Sco

12、tt,Dirk Schmautzer,Shriya Sethi,Shalini Shybut,Danilo Silva,Laurie Sztejnberg,Vera Tang,Alex Teece,Safia Tmiri,Kenza Touhs,Marily Van Nevel,Pablo Vazquez,Nicole Ventrone,Ellen Viruleg,Patrick White,Phillia Wibowo,Anna Wiesinger,Claire Williams,Dominic Williams,Todd Wintner,Bart Woord,Timothy Yap,Reb

13、ecca Yeoh,Anna Zawada,and Rea Zhubi.This report received writing and editing support from Liz McCrocklin and was designed by Camille Davis,Bethany Kersey,Kristin Redman,and Michael Sambar at Cricket Design Works.Foreword iiExecutive summary viA call to action:The imperative to improve learning outco

14、mes 1Most change efforts fail to deliver improvements in outcomes and equity 6 SIDEBAR:What about girls education?7Some systems are beating the odds,but not necessarily the ones you expect 12Improving school systems all use a set of reinforcing strategies 15 FEATURE:What do the first international a

15、ssessments since COVID-19 tell us?19Anchor in the evidence 24Ground systems strategy in better classroom instruction 26 FEATURE:Evidence of what helps students learn 30Start the journey from where you are 34 SIDEBAR:What about education technology?37 SIDEBAR:What about 21st century skills?40CASE STU

16、DIES:Kenya|Cear(Brazil)|Poland|Singapore 42Build a durable coalition for change 46 Set fewer priorities to get more done 48 Cultivate leadership beyond a single leader 52 Engage educators and families authentically 55CASE STUDIES:Morocco|Washington,DC|Norway 61Create delivery capacity to scale 64 Cr

17、eate coordination and cadence for change 66 Build implementation structures and skills 70CASE STUDIES:South Africa|Peru|Mississippi|London 74Drive and adapt with data 78 Measure student outcomes and make them transparent 80 SIDEBAR:How Sierra Leone is using data to spur system improvements 84 Roll o

18、ut what works,but create space for innovation 85 SIDEBAR:What about the role of the private sector?89CASE STUDIES:Punjab(India)|Estonia|Malawi 90Conclusion 94Appendix:Methodology 96Appendix:Bibliography 1091234567Foreword WRITTEN BY ANDREAS SCHLEICHERIn many parts of the world,the gap between what e

19、ducation systems deliver and what economies demand has widened significantly over the past two decades.This will have dramatic consequences in the decades to come,as our schools today will be our economy,our society,and our democracy tomorrow.And yet,the results from the OECDs Programme for Internat

20、ional Student Assessment(PISA)surveys show that some countries have bucked this downward trend and continued to improve quality,equity,and efficiency in educational serviceseven during the difficult last years of the pandemic.Spark&Sustain:How all the worlds school systems can improve learning at sc

21、ale discerns what distinguishes successful reforms from those that are unsuccessful.Its biggest contribution lies in identifying patterns related to the“why”and the“how”of successful and sustained educational reform that policymakers can adapt to their specific context.The why and the how are often

22、overlooked in conventional policy analysis,but they are crucially important.The lack of progress in education cannot be simply explained by a lack of resources or by a lack of promising policy initiatives.Much comes down to ineffective policy implementation;the road of educational transformation is

23、littered with many good ideas that were implemented poorly or in the wrong context.Governments are under pressure to deliver results while ensuring that citizens tax dollars are spent wisely and effectively.They set ambitious reform agendas and develop strategic plans to achieve them.But in conversa

24、tions with education ministers around the world,the most commonly cited chal-lenges are not about the“what”of reforms but about how the“what”can be put into practice in successful and sustainable ways.Transforming education at scale will require more than a vision of what is needed and knowledge of

25、what is possible.It will also take smart strategiesand knowledge of what works is only as valuable as our capacity to act on it.Policy makers face tough choices when evaluating policy alternatives;they need to weigh the potential impact against the economic and political cost of reform,keeping in mi

26、nd that the costs for reform are usually short-term and certain,while any benefits will be long-term and uncertain.Should they pursue what is most technically feasible?What is most politically and socially acceptable?What can be implemented quickly?What can be sustained over a sufficient time horizo

27、n and across electoral cycles?Reforms often fail when challenges of transformation are treated as merely technical issues.Technical issues have known solutions and can be resolved through the existing structures and mechanisms of education systems.Transformational issues can only be addressed throug

28、h changes in priorities,beliefs,and behavior.This is much harder to achieve,because education systems tend to involve complex mazes of stakeholders.The laws,regulations,structures,and institutions on which policy makers tend to focus are like the small visible tip of a huge iceberg.The reason it is

29、so hard to move school systems is that there is a much larger invisible part under the water.This invisible part is about the beliefs,capacities,motivations,and fears of the stakeholders who are involved in education,teachers and parents included.This is where unexpected collisions occur,because thi

30、s part of the education system tends to evade the radar screen of public policy.That is why educational leaders are rarely successful with reform unless they build a shared understanding and collective ownership for change,and unless they build capacity and create the right policy climate,with accou

31、ntability measures designed to encourage innovation rather than compliance.This is where the“why”of reform comes in.A CALL TO ACTIONiiIn fact,most successful educational reforms start with a compelling“why”the purpose and cause of reform.They inspire the education system to act through this“why,”and

32、 they use the“what”of the reformthe specific actions and processesas the tangible outcome of that“why.”By inspiring ed-ucators and administrators with the ideas underpin-ning the effort,successful reforms nurture a sense of purpose or belonging that is not solely linked to external incentives.For th

33、ose who are inspired,the motivation to act is deeply personal and thus sustainable beyond the short term.Great school systems become great because people in them feel they belong.People across all cultures share the very basic need to belong,which is fulfilled when people share values and beliefs.Wh

34、en policy makers clearly communicate the“why”of educational reform,educators are more likely to buy into the value proposition of these reforms,and will therefore often go the extra mile to implement those reforms even when they encounter difficulties.In the early stages of reform,ideas are fueled b

35、y passion,driving people to make sacrifices to support a cause bigger than themselves.However,most policy makers know that even successful pilots and programs rarely scale.Countless initiatives that were highly successful when they were small never made the grade.Culture is what scales,and a strong

36、cul-ture is the hallmark of effective leadership.Culture is about system learning,system-wide innovation,and purposeful collaboration that leads to large-scale and ongoing improvement.Humans have succeeded as a species because of our ability to form culturespeople who come together around shared val

37、ues and beliefs.Building shared cultures is also our best bet for effective reform.Not surprisingly,this report devotes a large part of its analysis to building a culture of transformative leadership.It is equally important to detect the formal and informal exercise of power of individuals and stake

38、holder groups within the education system,and to understand the commitments,loyalties,beliefs,and fears of each stakeholder and how these affect decisions.One should never underestimate stakeholders perception that a reform is a threat to them and their values,even if all they want is to retain what

39、 is familiar,stable,and predictable in their work and life.A key challenge is that the benefits of reform are often thinly spread.It is hard to mobilize stakeholders in support of reform,and the costs can be highly concentrated,making it easy to mobilize opposition.Leaders will need to forge allianc

40、es with people who will support the reform,integrate and defuse opposition,and give valuable dissenting voices a role to adjust perspectives and implementation processes.Understanding what stakeholders care about often makes it possible to find ways for them to serve those values other than by oppos

41、ing reform.Successful reform therefore requires the ability to recognize potential losses to different stakeholders and predictable defensive responses to those losses at the individual and system level.The potential loss of advantages or privileged positions is of particular importance in education

42、 reform,because the vast structure of established providers means that there are extensive vested interests.As a result,the status quo has many protectorsstakeholders in education who stand or expect to lose a degree of power or influence if changes are made.Put simply,it is difficult to ask the fro

43、gs to clear the swamp.The road of educational transformation is littered with many good ideas that were implemented poorly or in the wrong context.iiiFOREWORDIt is equally important to understand the network of alliances each stakeholder is embedded in.Policy makers are likely to encounter hidden al

44、liances between stakeholder groups that can facilitate or hinder the effective implementation of reform.An understanding of these connections,and of relationships that go beyond organizational charts,can help leaders identify ways to leverage supportive alliances and mediate opposing ones.Policy mak

45、ers need to prepare stakeholders for the disequilibrium the reform will introduce in the system and closely watch for signals about how much heat the system can stand.By engaging with resisters,policy makers acknowledge the sacrifices they are asking them to make and how difficult these may be.In th

46、e same vein,it is essential to understand the true degree of each stakeholders resources,power,and influence over success or failure of the reform;and how much the stakeholder actually cares about the reform and its outcome.Often there is also uncertainty about costs,because the education infrastruc

47、ture is large and involves multiple levels of government,each often trying to minimize or shift its own costs for the reform.Assessing the relative costs and benefits of reform in education is difficult also because of the large number of intervening factors that can influence the nature,size,and di

48、stribution of any improvements.The investment may be expensive over the long term,while in the short term it is rarely possible to predict clear,identifiable results from new policies,especially given the time lags between implementation and effect.Timing is also relevant to education reform,and in

49、more than one sense.Most significantly,there is a substantial gap between the time at which the initial cost of reform is incurred and the time when it becomes evident whether the benefits of reform will actually materialize.While timing complicates the politics of reform in many domains,it seems to

50、 have a greater impact on education reform,where the lags often involve many years.Education reform becomes a thankless task when elections take place before the benefits of reform are realized.Policy makers may lose an election over education issues,but they rarely win an election because of educat

51、ion reform.Sometimes crises can facilitate reform.When nothing is certain,anything becomes possible.The COVID-19 pandemic provides a powerful example.While the pandemic induced tremendous hardship for learners and educators,it also facilitated unprecedented technological and social innovation in edu

52、cation.Decades of investment in the professional devel-opment of teachers to use digital technologies in education yielded less progress than what was achieved within the first year of the pandemic.In crisis conditions,change is often the only available choice.Moreover,social acceptance for change i

53、s usually much greater in crisis conditions.Before the pandemic,digital technologies were seen as an addition or an“extra”in education,and there were often many reasons to resist their introduction.During the pandemic,these technologies became a lifeline for education,and discussions shifted from th

54、e“if”to the“how”of their use.Shocks that can leverage change are not confined to events that suddenly disrupt the ability of educational institutions to function;they can also be events that alter perceptions of the education system.For example,the view of employers that educational qualifications a

55、re no longer relevant can lead companies to hire on the basis of alternative criteria and thus devalue established educational pathways.It is important for governments to strive for ambi-tious outcomes that can take longer to deliver.But Progress tends to be seen as radical in the long term when it

56、is incremental,consistent,and coherent in the moment.ivFOREWORDthey also need to deliver tangible results in the short and medium term to keep stakeholders engaged.As important as it is to design reforms to scale across space,it is equally important to carefully craft their trajectory over time.Educ

57、ation reform is so complex because many things need to happen over considerable periods of time to produce the desired outcomes.Few education reforms start by concep-tualizing the entire trajectory of reformthat is,the entire sequence of steps,their interrelationships,and their short-term,intermedia

58、te,and long-term outcomes.The result is often a piecemeal approach and layers over layers of incoherent reforms.Communicating short-term,medium-term,and long-term outcomes will help leaders build owner-ship for reform implementation and sustain efforts and resources over sufficiently long periods.Th

59、is requires them to be honest and up-front about the length of the reform cycle.Even if it were possible to change early childhood education overnight,it would take many years for the outcomes to translate into improved learning in school and better labor market outcomes in life.Radical and erratic

60、changes in education rarely lead to improvements but rather cause reform fatigue.Progress tends to be seen as radical in the long term when it is incremental,consistent,and coherent in the moment.Helping system stakeholders reach the periphery of their comfort zone in the short term often leads to m

61、ore sustainable change than radically changing the approach.The challenge is to keep the temperature within the productive zone of disequilibrium and to anticipate and counteract tactics that people will use to lower the heat to more comfortable levels.Clear trajectories help leaders monitor and und

62、erstand progress in the education system,but they also enable an informed discussion about the questions that are central to successful reform implementation:What is the reform trying to achieve?How is it intending to pursue this?How will the system know at any moment in time whether reform implemen

63、tation is on track?What should be done when implementation diverges from the trajectory?When stakeholders and the public do not see the entire trajectory,with clear perspectives on when specific outcomes are expected to materialize,they often do not sustain the effort over sufficiently long periods.

64、It also becomes easy for subsequent governments to criticize reforms by pointing to outcomes that have not yet been attained,even if they were only meant to be attained in the medium and long term.Finally,an important aspect of effective policy implementation is the ability to look not just forward

65、but also outward.It is not surprising that a strong and consistent effort to carry out international benchmarking and to incorporate the results of that benchmarking into policy and practice is a common characteristic of the most rapidly improving edu-cation systems.And the faster the context evolve

66、s,along with the demands on education,the harder it becomes to just lean on past experience.In the past,policy makers could safely follow the lead of their predecessors,because their predecessors knew the world quite well,and the world changed slowly.But in a fast-changing world,it is much harder to

67、 distinguish between timeless wisdom and outdated bias.This report will help policy makers look outward in deliberate ways,and this has never been more important than it is today.The world has become indifferent to tradition and past reputations,unfor-giving of frailty,and ignorant of custom or prac

68、tice.Success will go to individuals,institutions,and countries that are swift to adapt,slow to complain,and open to change.The task for governments is to help their citizens rise to this challenge.Andreas Schleicher Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills Organisation for Economic Co-op

69、eration and DevelopmentvFOREWORDExecutive SummaryIt is more important today than ever before to improve the quality and equity of education systems around the world.Most school systems globally have stagnated or declined in the past decade,even before the COVID-19 pandemic.More children than ever ar

70、e in school,but many are not mastering basic skills.The World Bank estimates that seven in ten students in low-and middle-income countries are living in“learning poverty,”unable to read a simple sentence by the time they finish elementary school.1 The same is true for nine out of ten students in sub

71、-Saharan Africa.2Automation is expected to increase demand for educated workers,creating a greater need for technological,socioemotional,and cognitive skills.The recent rise of generative AI is likely to accelerate these workforce transitions.3 In addition to preparing students for the workforce,edu

72、cation systems are increasingly being asked to participate in resolving broader societal issues,from rising mental health challenges among young people4 to political instability and polarization5 to combating climate change.6 The pandemic exacerbated these challenges.Lost learning time widened equit

73、y gaps within and between countries,while workforce changes accelerated.This is creating a scissor effect as learning losses collide with a growing need for higher-order skills.If historical trends continue,it will take until 2040 just to get back to where we were in 2019 in terms of student learnin

74、g outcomes.To understand how school systems globally can reignite growth and recover from the learning losses of the pandemic,McKinsey examined the drivers of school system improvements in the decade prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.This research covered both school systems that were improving and tho

75、se in decline.We analyzed global data and spoke with more than 200 system leaders,donors and philanthropists,not-for-profit leaders,academics,and consultantsall of whom pointed to the complexity of the challenge.viEXECUTIVE SUMMARYAt first glance,the lack of progress in learning outcomes may seem pu

76、zzling.Over the past decades the education community has researched,developed,and codified strong evidence on what students need to master foundational skills,including reading,writing,and critical thinking.We know which interventions work to achieve proficiency for most students.Why do so many effo

77、rts fail?Simply put,the biggest barrier to success is execution.Most school systems struggle to turn improvements into action,and well-intentioned changes fizzle out.To make changes stick,leaders must know both“what”interventions to use and“how”to implement them well at scale.Stagnating school syste

78、ms tend to get stuck in one or more“failure modes.”They may have the right idea(a new curriculum)but the wrong details(choosing the wrong one).Improvements may falter in the face of political pushback,lack the momentum to make it to the classroom,or get overtaken by changing circumstances.Yet failur

79、e is not inevitable.The global education community can chart a new path and learn from the systems that have managed to beat the odds and produce meaningful gains in student learning year after year.These outlier school systems exist on every continent and at every level of national development.To u

80、nderstand what is driving improvementand how it can be replicated we conducted in-depth research on 14 school systems that demonstrated improvement in the decade prior to the pandemic(Exhibit E1).Traditionally,education studies have tended to focus on school systems that performed well on internatio

81、nal assessments,taking a snapshot of performance without considering the size of the system,the return on investment for spending,or improvement over time.To paint a more balanced picture,this research focuses on large national and subnational systems,across a range of income levels,that demonstrate

82、d improvement at scale.7 viiEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXHIBIT E1 We researched 14 systems that are beating the odds to understand why.SYSTEMSingapore Estonia Poland Norway Peru Morocco South Africa Kenya Malawi London,UK Washington DC,USA Mississippi,USA Cear,Brazil Punjab,India SUSTAINED&OUTSIZED IMPROVERSE

83、MERGING IMPROVERSSUBNATIONAL IMPROVERSTHE SYSTEMS PROFILED IN THIS RESEARCH HAVE DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENT OVER TIME12005 2010 2015 2020 ASSESSMENTS2PISA,PIRLS,TIMSS PISA,PIRLS,TIMSS PISA PISA PISA TIMSS TIMSS SACMEQ SACMEQ GCSE NAEP NAEP SAEB NAS,ASER WE INTERVIEWED MORE THAN 200 GLOBAL SYSTEM LEADE

84、RS,DONORS,NONPROFITS AND THOUGHT-LEADERS ACROSS THE WORLD60+System leaders50+Donors,multi-laterals,bi-laterals,foundations30+Think-tanks,academia40+Non-profit and non-governmental organizations20+Private sector education companiesCase StudiesCountries we spoke toSingaporeSingaporeNorwayEstoniaPoland

85、PeruMoroccoSouth AfricaKenyaMalawiMississippiMississippiWashington D.C.LondonPunjabCearCountries we surveyedGREATGOODFAIRPOORBELOW POOR1 Improvement as measured by international and regional student assessments2 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS)2011-2016;Program for Intern

86、ational Student Assessment(PISA)2009-2018;Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS)2006-2016;the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality(SACMEQ)2007-2013;National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP)for U.S.school systems 2009-2019;General Certific

87、ate of Secondary Education(GCSE)in the U.K.-2011-21;Sistema Nacional de Avaliao da Educao Bsica(SAEB)in Brazil-2009-19;National Achievement Survey(NAS)and Annual Status of Education Report(ASER)in India-2009-19Note:The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or accep

88、tance by McKinsey&Company.viiiEXECUTIVE SUMMARYOur analysis suggests that successful systems use a set of reinforcing strategies to create a virtuous cycle enabling significant,long-term gains in student learning(Exhibit E2):ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE.Based on clear research into what influences outcome

89、s,successful school systems ground changes in the classroom,focusing first and foremost on teachers and the content they deliver.They choose evidence-backed strat-egies relevant to their starting place and prioritize foundational learning,particularly in poorly resourced systems.They use technology

90、as a tool to enhance learning,not as an end in itself.BUILD A DURABLE COALITION FOR CHANGE.Successful school systems focus on a few coherent priorities,rallying stakeholders around those priorities to ensure that everyone is on boardfrom system leadership to principals to teachers.They invest in aut

91、hentic,two-way communication with families,educators,and communities to design better policies and build deeper buy-in.CREATE DELIVERY CAPACITY TO SCALE.Successful systems move quickly from strategy to implementation,pacing reforms to show early traction while building stamina for the long road to i

92、mpact.They build dedicated delivery teams that have the organizational structures and individual skills to execute on plans over time.DRIVE AND ADAPT WITH DATA.Successful systems rigorously measure what mattersstudent learning outcomesand use data that is shared transparently to improve their interv

93、entions.As they roll out tried-and-true methods,they create space for innovation and measure the impact of new ideas,which feeds back into the evidence base of what works.ixEXECUTIVE SUMMARY7 HOW LEVERSWHAT WORKS ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE Ground system strategy in better classroom instruction,aligning

94、the system around learning outcomes at the instructional core.Recognize the context start the journey from where you are,moving from poor-to-fair-to-good-to-great performance.BUILD A DURABLE COALITION FOR CHANGE 1 Set fewer priorities to get more done,with coherent,sustained,evidence-based goals.2 C

95、ultivate leadership beyond a single leader,and institutions beyond the ministry.3 Engage educators and families authentically,with two-way communication.CREATE DELIVERY CAPACITY TO SCALE 4 Create coordination and cadence for change,turning strategies into plans,budgets,and timelines.5 Build implemen

96、tation structures and skills across the center and middle layer.DRIVE AND ADAPT WITH DATA 6 Measure student outcomes and make them transparent;use this to create momentum,and to tailor and adapt policies and approach.7 Roll out what works,but create space for innovation,measuring to build evidence f

97、or what works.xEXECUTIVE SUMMARYEXHIBIT E2 Sustained improvers use a set of reinforcing strategies to create a virtuous cycle for long-term,outsized gains in student learning.ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCEBUILD A DURABLE COALITION FOR CHANGECREATE DELIVERY CAPACITY TO SCALEDRIVE AND ADAPT WITH DATAREINFORCI

98、NG IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSxiEXECUTIVE SUMMARYIndividually,these strategies may seem obvious or incremental.Together,they are transformative.The slow and steady work of implementation sets improving school systems apart from the rest.Education leaders can learn from these success stories,p

99、articularly as systems seek to recover from recent declines in student learning.The stakes are high:if historical trends continue,more than 700 million children will remain in learning poverty in 2050unable to read a simple text by the end of elementary school.The pandemic wiped out decades of educa

100、tional improvements,and we cannot wait decades to catch up.The worlds population is growing fastest in the places where learning lags furthest behind.8 Doing nothing would have tremendous implications on economic growth and political stability worldwide.However,this grim future is not inevitable.If

101、all systems could improve student outcomes at the rate of the top improvers,an additional 350 million students could be lifted out of learning poverty in the next 30 years(Exhibit E3).This report considers what it would take to make that happen.xiiEXECUTIVE SUMMARYxiiiA CALL TO ACTIONEXHIBIT E3 If a

102、ll systems could improve at the rate of top improvers,350M children could be lifted from learning poverty by 2050.NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN LEARNING POVERTY1 UNDER DIFFERENT GO-FORWARD SCENARIOS M of children ages 5-162347mADDITIONAL CHILDREN LIFTED OUT OF LEARNING POVERTYSTATUS QUO:CURRENT TRAJECTORY20

103、19351SCENARIO 1:AT-SCALE TOP PERFORMERS(pop.3m)248PRE-COVID LEARNING POVERTY20223SCENARIO 1:AT-SCALE TOP PERFORMERS483110227283 Learning poverty refers to children not in school or who complete primary school without learning to read and understand a simple sentence text.2 The number

104、 of children in learning poverty is very sensitive to the population used.We chose 5-16 to reflect the number of students who were in learning poverty when they completed primary(age 10-14)as well as those currently in primary school who are not on track to gain basic literacy skills.3 Learning pove

105、rty projections through COVID(2019-2022)are based on regional growth rates estimated by the World Bank.Where there was not regional growth rate data(North America),we used the World Banks learning poverty projections for high income countries.4 Our top performers scenario included the top at-scale(3

106、M+population)systems for each performance band(below poor,poor,fair,good,great)in terms of international or regional assessment growth.More information can be found in the methodological appendix.Sources:World Bank Global Learning Poverty Database,World Bank Populations and Projections,and The State

107、 of Global Learning Poverty:2022 Update EXECUTIVE SUMMARYxiiiGovernments around the globe understand the critical importance of educating their citizens to thrive in a rapidly changing world.Over the past decade,many countries have attempted to transform their education systems and to raise student

108、achievement levels.Yet progress has proved elusive.While more students are in school than ever before,learning outcomes are largely stagnant,and equity gaps within and between countries remain troubling.A call to action:The imperative to improve learning outcomes1A CALL TO ACTIONMore children are at

109、tending school,but learning outcomes are not keeping paceGlobal enrollment rates have increased significantly since 2000.This is particularly true in low-and lower-middle-income countries,where primary school enrollment rose by more than ten percentage points from 2000 to 2015.By 2018,almost 90 perc

110、ent of children globally were attending primary school(Exhibit 1).9But even though more students are in class,many children are not mastering basic skills.10 The World Bank estimates that seven in ten students in low-and middle-income countries are living in“learning poverty”unable to read and under

111、stand a simple text by age ten.In sub-Saharan Africa,the number is nearly nine in ten students.11 And these numbers are not getting betterlearning outcomes as measured by international assessments barely improved globally in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic,with small gains for low-and middle

112、-income countries and stagnation in high-income countries.12 Measures of adult literacy over a longer time frame reveal not just a lack of progress but a potential regression.Research using demographic and health surveys administered by the US Agency for International Development(USAID)suggest that

113、African women born in the 1950s who received an elementary education were 13 percentage points more likely to have basic literacy skills as adults than those born in the 1990s with a similar number of years of schooling.13 While this may be partly because more girls are now accessing primary educati

114、on,it suggests that the quality of primary education has not improved over the time period(and may actually be declining).Even though more students are in class,many children are not mastering basic skills.1 Net enrollment rates are the total number of students divided by the number of people in a c

115、ountry in the school-age group2 High and upper-middle income systems are based on PISA.Analysis includes any country that took PISA in at least five of the six administrations between 2000 and 2018.Low-and lower-middle income systems analysis is based on SACMEQ and PASEC,respectively,and includes sy

116、stems that took SACMEQ in 2000,2007,and 2013 and systems that took PASEC in 2014 and 2019.3 Change shown for 2000-2018 forPISA,for 2000-20013 for SACMEQ,and 2014-2019 for PASECSource:UNESCO,World Bank2A CALL TO ACTIONEXHIBIT 1 Enrollment has improved but quality has not kept pace.ENROLLMENT RATES BY

117、 COUNTRY INCOME GROUP1,%757065605550454035 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020AVERAGE LITERACY AND NUMERACY SKILLS2,HLO POINTS550500450400350300 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 508959477757038568285919596PERCENTAGE POINT CHANGE(2000-2018)181171347PERCENTAGE POINT CHANGE(2000-2018)3-146High incomeUpper midd

118、le incomeLow-and lower-middle incomePrimarySecondaryHigh income (PISA)Upper middle income (PISA)Low-and lower-middle income (SACMEQ)550650442364394383593633903263459Low-and lower-middle income (PASEC)A CALL TO ACTION3Spending on education matters,but only to a pointSchool syste

119、m performance varies greatly across countries.The World Bank has consolidated the results of multiple international assessments into a single Harmonized Learning Outcomes(HLO)database that enables comparison across a spectrum of performance from poor to fair to good to great.At lower levels of spend

120、ingup to about$6,000 to$8,000 per student at purchasing-power parity performance levels are highly correlated with the amount spent.Above that level,the correlation breaks down,with country performance largely independent of spend.At every spending level,there is significant variation in performance

121、,with some systems achieving stronger outcomes than their spending would suggest and others lagging behind their peers at similar levels of spend(Exhibit 2).Much of the academic debate around country performance in education revolves around a small subset of mostly high-income countries that have re

122、latively high scores on the three major international assessments:the Programme for International Assessment(PISA),Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS),and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS).We classify those countries as having “good”or“great”performance

123、.Globally,however,more than 90 percent of children live in countries where average education outcomes are below poor,poor,or fair.14 Historically,many of these countries have not taken international assessments,but more recently the introduction of regional assessments15 and the Early Grade Reading

124、Assessment(EGRA)has enabled a broader global comparison of learning outcomes.The OECD suggests that approximately 20 PISA points are equivalent to a year of learning.By that measure,high school students in many sub-Saharan African countries may be ten or more years behind their peers in Europe,North

125、 America,or East Asia.16 School systems face increasing demands Meanwhile,demands on education systems have accelerated.Schools are increasingly being asked to contribute to solving broader societal issues,from rising mental health challenges among young people17 to political instability and polariz

126、ation18 to combating climate change.19 At the same time,the workforce is changing.Automation is increasing the need for technological,socioemotional,and cognitive skills.Workers are spending less time on predictable physical labor and more time interacting with people and applying expertise.And the

127、pandemic amplified existing trends toward remote work,e-commerce,and automation.20 Industries that once served customers in person ramped up digital-first interactions,and early post-pandemic data suggests that these shifts are durable.This transformation means that many jobs may come with new respo

128、nsibilities,while lower-skill jobs may be eliminated.The World Economic Forum forecasts that 23 percent of global jobs may change in the next five years,21 and Goldman Sachs estimates that up to two-thirds of jobs in the United States and Europe could be affected.22 This will increase competition fo

129、r employment and raise the ante for preparing students for the future of work.23 This is creating a scissor effect:learning losses are colliding with an increasing need for higher-order skills.The implications are profound.Lower levels of learning translate into lower future earnings potential for s

130、tudents and lower economic productivity for nations.By one accounting,the economic impact of pandemic-related learning delays could lead to annual losses of$1.6 trillion worldwide,or 0.9 percent of total global gross domestic product(GDP)by 2040.24 1 HLO scores are standardized,comparable achievemen

131、t scores for K-12 students.They are based on the international assessment PISA,TIMSS,and PIRLS,along with the regional assessments SACMEQ,PASEC,LLECE,and EGRA.Eleven countries are imput-ed by World Bank using the GAML method which relies on national assessments.Systems are sorted into bands based on

132、 their HLO scores such that a score less than or equal to 375 places a system as below poor,a score greater than375 and less than or equal to 425 places a system as fair,and so on.This chart includes the country with the highest and lowest HLO score in each spending group,plus all systems profiled i

133、n the report.A comprehensive version of this exhibit appears in the appendix.2 To ensure government spend was comparable across the countries analyzed,internationally compa-rable data sources were utilized in the following order:UNESCO,World Bank,Eurostat.Most data(80%)is from 2017-2020.Where data w

134、as scarce,earlier data was used and adjusted for inflation.For countries with no internationally comparable data available from 2014-2020,a GDP per capita model or government websites were employed.Source:World Bank,UNESCO UIS,Eurostat,OECD,Government websites4A CALL TO ACTIONEXHIBIT 2 Performance i

135、s uneven even at similar levels of spend.PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PER STUDENT,PPP USD2 HLO SCORE1 300 375 425 475 525 600$14K$13K-$14K$12K-$13K$11K-$12K$10K-$11K$9K-$10K$8K-$9K$7K-$8K$6K-$7K$5K-$6K$4K-$5K$3K-$4K$2K-$3K$1K-$2K$1K*CASE STUDIESGREATGOODFAIRPOORUNIVERSAL SCALE BASED UPON WORLD BANK HLO SCORES

136、1BELOW POORBELGIUM SWEDENUAE*NORWAY*SINGAPOREMALTAHONG KONGUKQATARIRELANDKUWAITOMAN*ESTONIA*POLANDSLOVAK REP.SAUDI ARABIAHUNGARYROMANIA MALAYSIACOSTA RICARUSSIA*SOUTH AFRICAUKRAINEKAZAKHSTANEGYPTIRANVIETNAMJAPANLITHUANIA LATVIAGHANA*KENYA*MALAWI*MOROCCO*PERUA CALL TO ACTION5EXHIBIT 3 Most school sys

137、tem reforms fail.IMPROVEDDECLINEDSTAGNATEDGOOD AND GREAT 7 15 17 FAIR 9 1 8 BELOW POOR AND POOR 7 1 8 NUMBER OF COUNTRIES BY PERFORMANCE1 THAT HAVE IMPROVED2,DECLINED2 OR STAGNATED2 ON INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENTS OVER THE PAST DECADE Most change efforts fail to deliver improvements in outcomes and equ

138、ityIn most countries,student outcomes stagnated or even declined.In 17 countries,student scores slipped by more than half a year of learning or more even before COVID-19,based on at least two interna-tional assessments over the past decade.25 Systems that already had high levels of performance(“good

139、”and“great”systems)were the most likely to see their outcomes decline significantly,including many former education“stars,”such as New Zealand,Finland,the Netherlands,and South Korea(Exhibit 3).Even in systems that are improving or have relatively strong levels of achievement,overall system perfor-m

140、ance may mask significant inequities in achieve-ment;every system that uses PISA has performance gaps correlated with socioeconomic status.In many countries,the gaps are significant in size.The OECD found in 2018 that the gap in reading performance between the most advantaged 10 percent and the most

141、 disadvantaged 10 percent in France,Germany,Hungary,Israel,Peru,and the Slovak Republic was equivalent to more than four years of schooling.26 Many education improvement efforts dont translate into learning gains for students.In some cases,students fall even further behind.The country-level trends i

142、n student learning outcomes are sobering:of the 73 countries with longitudinal data from international assessments over the past decade,only 23 managed to sustain significant,sustained,and consistent improvements in student outcomes.In other words,only one in three systems is improving.1 Performance

143、 is based on World Bank Harmonized Learning Outcomes(i.e.,Harmonized Test Scores)scores.2020 scores are used where available.Otherwise,earlier data is referenced.Countries are categorized as follows:Below poor(525 HLO)2 Countries are categorized as“improved”if they gained 10 points on two subject te

144、sts across PISA math,PISA reading,PISA science,PIRLS reading,TIMSS math,and TIMSS science in the past decade,and improved on average by 10 points or more on average across tests.Countries are categorized as“declined”if they lost 10 points on two subject tests in the past decade.Countries are categor

145、ized as“stagnated”if they are not categorized as“improved”or“declined”some of these had stable performance,others had differing performance across different tests.Countries are excluded from the analysis if they lack enough evidence(i.e.,have not taken 2 international tests with a decades worth of d

146、ata)Source:World Bank,PISA,TIMSS,PIRLS231733A CALL TO ACTION6Girls Education?All children,regardless of gender,deserve equitable education oppor-tunities.Historically,girls have faced barriers in accessing school or completing their education.In some countries they still do,and these unacceptable in

147、equities must be addressed.27 At the same time,great progress has been made in expanding access to education for girls.The most recent statistics globally show the gender gap in primary school enrollment has been nearly halved since 2000 to a two-percentage-point difference between boys and girls,an

148、d enrollment rates in secondary school are now nearly identical.28 But the closing of gender gaps does not mean all girls have sufficient access to education.There are still 258 million children and youth,both girls and boys,who are not in school.There are also regional differences:in sub-Sa-haran A

149、frica,UNESCO estimates there are four million girls who will never attend school,compared to two million boys.29 Girls are more likely to be excluded from education across Northern Africa and Western Asia.(In South Asia,East Asia,and Southeastern Asia,boys are more likely to be out of school.)For th

150、ose in school,girls are now performing better than boys.Girls outperform boys in read-ing in every US state,30 and they outperform boys on all higher-level exams in the United Kingdom.31 These trends are consistent in both developing and developed countries,and girls are now overtaking boys in scien

151、ce and math as well as in reading.32 In countries where girls outperform boys in math,such as Thailand and Malaysia,they perform even better on reading.33 What can be learned from this nuanced pic-ture?Girls education should remain a priority in places where structural barriers persist.For example,U

152、NICEF partners with governments in low-income countries to improve sanitation and hygiene so that girls can more easily attend school during their menstruation cycles.34 Many advanced school systems still need to better engage girls in science,technology,engineering,and math(STEM)education,given per

153、sistent gender gaps in the STEM workforce.In some countries,however,it may be boys that need a boost.Boys in many systems face higher rates of suspension and expulsion,struggle more with behavior,and drop out at higher rates.35 Every OECD country now has more female students than male students pursu

154、ing bachelors degrees,and girls are more likely to persist through college than boys.36 To address these gaps,systems can adapt curriculum and instructional materials that feel more relevant to all students,focus on teaching boys the skills to engage in learning(rather than simply penalizing them wh

155、en they struggle),and help educators understand their own biases.37 Expanding high-quality early childhood education could create more oppor-tunity to teach behavioral and social-emotional skills at a younger age.The precise intersection between gender and student performance is likely to vary acros

156、s and within systems.For some,systemic inequities may require targeted gender-based interven-tions.But the most effective interventions,par-ticularly in systems with high rates of learning poverty,are likely rooted in a broader strategy to improve education for all.If most children in a given system

157、 are not learning to read,or are not attending school at all,the consequences will be dire for boys and girls alike.WHAT ABOUT.A CALL TO ACTION7Prior to COVID-19,global systems were making some progress on equity,at least in the aggregate:from 2000 to 2015,the percentage of variation in global readi

158、ng and math performance on PISA that could be explained by socioeconomic status decreased by 2.2 and 2.4 percentage points,respectively.There are examples of both high performing and lower performing systems that made progress in closing these gaps.38Systems have continued to make progress on other

159、measures of equity as well.While there are still persistent gender equity gaps in enrollment and achievement around the world,we see greater participation and stronger outcomes from girls than ever before(see sidebar“What about girls education?”).An important caveat here:international standardized a

160、ssessments of student learning are not the only,or arguably the most important,measure of what a young person receives from education.There is an important debate to be had around the broader goals of an education system in preparing students for work,life,and citizenship,and in providing a joyful l

161、earning experience in the moment.Yet there is also fundamental alignment that part of the responsibility of education systems is to impart basic literacy and numeracy skills to all students.And on those basic goals,progress is often halting.While acknowledging the broader goals of education systems,

162、we have largely limited the scope of this report to learning outcomes as measured by some form of international,regional,or national assessment given their relative objectivity and global comparability.The lack of progress by such measures may seem puzzling:the global education community has 25 year

163、s of international student learning data and increasing consensus about the interventions that improve student outcomes.So why havent school systems seen across-the-board improvements?Education system improvement programs and education researchers often focus on“what”changes to make.Yet even when sc

164、hool systems have a sound plan,leaders can struggle to put improvements into action,and well-intentioned changes can fizzle out.To make changes stick,leaders need to understand not only“what”interventions to use but also“how”to implement them well at scale.Education is one of the most complex branch

165、es of government to transform because it involves changing the behavior of hundreds of thousands of educators over a sustained period of time.The scale far exceeds that of any other type of private-or public-sector organization.McKinseys recent survey of more than 400 education leaders around the wo

166、rld found that only 20 percent of education improvement efforts meet their stated goals.(For more detail on this survey,see the methodological appendix.)Additional data demonstrates that improving and stagnating systems often attempt to pull the same broad levers for education improvements(Exhibit 4

167、).A review of education reforms in Stanford Universitys World Education Reform Database implemented since 2000 shows that the most-improved school systems often tackle the same areas of improvement as other systems,particularly in low-and middle-income countries,but they get very different outcomes.

168、39This analysis is necessarily simplified.A focus on“academics”could include a range of strategies,some higher impact than others.Still,the relative consistency in focus between top improvers and other systems,especially in countries early in their improvement journey,underscores that it is not only

169、 the choice of interventions that matters,but also the execution.(For more detail on this analysis,see the methodological appendix.)Our survey and our interviews with more than 200 education system leaders,experts,and academics identified seven common failure modes that undermine improvement efforts

170、(Exhibit 5).Yet failure is not inevitable.In the past decade,some countries have transformed their education systems and produced meaningful gains in student learning,year after year.These outlier school systems exist on every continent and at every level of national development.They show us that tr

171、ansformation is challenging but not impossible.8A CALL TO ACTIONGOOD AND GREATEXHIBIT 4 Improving systems and stagnating systems appear to be focusing on the same areas in education reform efforts.FAIRBELOW POOR AND POORSTUDENT OUTCOMESACADEMICSHUMAN CAPITALPERFORMANCE MANAGEMENTWHOLE CHILD SUPPORTS

172、ENABLING FACTORSSCHOOL READINESS 4 21 3 2 3 4 5 3 2 3 5 5 4TOP IMPROVERSOTHER COUNTRIESAVERAGE NUMBER OF EDUCATION REFORMS IMPLEMENTED BY COUNTRY SINCE 2000 BY ACHIEVEMENT JOURNEY AND PERFORMANCESYSTEM EXCELLENCE LEVER1 Includes the top 5 countries by absolute improvement in average international as

173、sessment(PISA,TIMSS,PIRLS)and top 5 in regional assessments (LLECE,PASEC,SACMEQ)within each performance band.All other countries with data in WERD are included in“other countries“Source:World Bank,PISA,TIMSS,PIRLSSTUDENT OUTCOMESACADEMICSHUMAN CAPITALPERFORMANCE MANAGEMENTWHOLE CHILD SUPPORTSENABLIN

174、G FACTORSSCHOOL READINESS 5 31 3 4 3 2 5 31 3 3 3 3STUDENT OUTCOMESACADEMICSHUMAN CAPITALPERFORMANCE MANAGEMENTWHOLE CHILD SUPPORTSENABLING FACTORSSCHOOL READINESS 6 7 5 5 12 6 6 4 6 4 6 8 5 5A CALL TO ACTION9EXHIBIT 5 In interviews,leaders identified multiple challenges to implementation-at-scale.E

175、ducation not seen as a priority inability to raise donor or domestic funds needed to deliver;budgets burdened with entrenched initiatives Lack of clarity around the purpose of education between grassroots and those in power Goals are too many,too far out in the future,vague,and unmeasurable Lack of

176、coherence across the individual elements of reform;systems pulled in many directions,and nothing ends up moving forwards IMPLEMENTATION “FAILURE MODES”EXAMPLE CHALLENGES RAISED IN INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYLEADERSHIP DISCONTINUITY Reform is an 8-to-12-year journey,but rapid electoral cycles do not create

177、 sufficient runway to accomplish true change Minister of Education role often short-lived Whipsaw effect as policies change with each leader;leaving teachers and principals disillusioned and resistant to change Short-term donor programs undermine continuity of reformsORGAN REJECTION OR REFORM Top do

178、wn,system-level policies fail to consider and adapt to local specificities and the realities of the classroom Insufficient communication of reform priorities and rationale Important stakeholders including teachers,principals and families push back against reforms,either through outright or passive r

179、esistance Mistrust towards the private sector hampers private sector engagement and innovation CONFLICTING DIRECTIONS 61%IDENTIFIED THIS AS A TOP 5 CHALLENGE TO EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTS33%IDENTIFIED THIS AS A TOP 5 CHALLENGE TO EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTS31%IDENTIFIED THIS AS A TOP 5 CHALLENGE TO EDUCATION

180、 IMPROVEMENTSSource:McKinseys Global Education Survey;InterviewsA CALL TO ACTION10IMPLEMENTATION “FAILURE MODES”EXAMPLE CHALLENGES RAISED IN INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYFLYING BLIND System leaders(national,middle layer,and school)have no visibility into progress in the classroom Lack of conversations aroun

181、d dashboards and data to change go-forward strategy and activities Lack of transparency for parents and students into school performance and optionsSTANDING STILL No adaptation to changes in the external environmentin the labor market,economy,cultural and political environment,etc.Multiple pilots an

182、d innovations across the system(100 flowers are blooming)but no-one knows which are having a positive impact on student outcomesLIMITED IMPLEMENTATION CAPACITY Lack of people leadership,program management and analytical capacity within government;limited budget to hire seasoned leaders Policy adopti

183、on drops off at each level from the state to the district to the school to the classroom Donor technical assistance over-dependent on international consultants who leave,rather than local players46%IDENTIFIED THIS AS A TOP 5 CHALLENGE TO EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTSINSUFFICIENT COORDINATION AND PACE No ro

184、admap to implement;budgets not allocated to strategies;unclear accountability for inputs and outcomes Too many small-scale pilots resourced in a way that are not scaleable Poorly aligned expectations of what can be achieved in what timeframe;lack of initial progress undermines confidence in the plan

185、,leading to churn42%IDENTIFIED THIS AS A TOP 5 CHALLENGE TO EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTS26%IDENTIFIED THIS AS A TOP 5 CHALLENGE TO EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTS29%IDENTIFIED THIS AS A TOP 5 CHALLENGE TO EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTSA CALL TO ACTION11We identified improving school systems for more in-depth profiles by u

186、sing comparative international,regional,and national assessments of student performance,along with expert interviews and data on system scale and spending.We focused on larger systems in the international data and layered in new examples of noteworthy subnational and low-income systems that may not

187、take comparable international assessments,but that have shown promising results on other tests.We also focused on improvements prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,so we did not take into account the 2021 PIRLS or 2022 PISA data.While these latest results provide a fascinating insight into which systems w

188、ere best able to weather a global pandemic,they provide less insight into which systems are able to sustain consistent improvements in learning outcomes over the long run(see feature“What do postpandemic assessments tell us?”).We ultimately focused on 14 school systems across a range of income level

189、s that are improving education at scale.None of these systems are perfect,and in some the absolute level of achievement is still low,but each has meaningful lessons to impart at different stages of the educational improvement journey based on the strategies they took to improve performance(Exhibit 7

190、).Our research looked at three categories of improvement with the highest bar for significant,sustained,and consistent improvement at scale:SUSTAINED AND OUTSIZED IMPROVERS:Systems in this category achieved improvements that are significant(equivalent to more than ten PISA points,or more than one-ha

191、lf of a year of learning40),sustained(over the past decade),and consistent(demonstrated across at least two of the major international subtests).Of the 23 global systems that improved student outcomes on international assess-ments,we focused on seven representative systems,predominantly those that w

192、ere at scale,with more than three million students in their systems(Poland,Peru,Morocco,and South Africa).We included a few smaller improvers in the good-to-great journey given the limited number of at-scale improvers in this category(Estonia,Norway,and Singapore).EMERGING IMPROVERS:Systems in this

193、category have achieved improvements that are significant(equivalent to more than one-half of a year of learning),but that only have data from regional assessments or over a limited time frame.Given the data constraints,the selection of systems to focus on within this segment(Kenya and Malawi)was val

194、idated through interviews of education experts.SUB-NATIONAL IMPROVERS:Because many large education systems are run at a regional level,rather than nationally,we also looked at subnational regions that outperformed their counterparts.These are systems that have improved by more than one-half of a yea

195、r of learning over the past decade as documented on national or local as-sessments,with a focus on subnational systems within some of the largest federal school systems in the world(including Brazil,India,and the United States).This category by definition was more subjective,so expert perspectives i

196、nformed the selection of regions to focus on within this subset(Mississippi;Washington,DC;London;Cear(Brazil);and Punjab(India).Some systems are beating the odds,but not necessarily the ones you expectTo understand what it would take for more school systems to improve,we con-ducted research across b

197、oth improving and declining school systems,analyzed global data,and spoke with more than 200 school system leaders,donors and philanthropists,not-for-profit leaders,academics,and consultants(Exhibit 6).12A CALL TO ACTIONEXHIBIT 6 Interviews included 200 experts around the world.WE INTERVIEWED MORE T

198、HAN 200 GLOBAL SYSTEM LEADERS,DONORS,NONPROFITS AND THOUGHT-LEADERS ACROSS THE WORLDNote:The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by McKinsey&Company.60+SYSTEM LEADERS50+DONORS,MULTI-LATERALS,BI-LATERALS,FOUNDATIONS30+THINK-TANKS,ACADEMIA40+NON-PROFI

199、T AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS20+PRIVATE SECTOR EDUCATION COMPANIESCase StudiesCountries we spoke toSingaporeSingaporeNorwayEstoniaPolandPeruMoroccoSouth AfricaKenyaMalawiMississippiMississippiWashington D.C.LondonPunjabCearCountries we surveyedA CALL TO ACTION131 Trends in International Mathe

200、matics and Science Study(TIMSS)2011-2016;Program for International Student Assessment(PISA)2009-2018;Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS)2006-2016;the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality(SACMEQ)2007-2013;National Assessment of Educational Prog

201、ress(NAEP)for U.S.school systems 2009-2019;General Certificate of Secondary Education(GCSE)in the U.K.-2011-21;Sistema Nacional de Avaliao da Educao Bsica(SAEB)in Brazil-2009-19;National Achievement Survey(NAS)and Annual Status of Education Report(ASER)in India-2009-19The methodological appendix con

202、tains additional details on system selection and performance over time,including data on all sustained improvers,emerging improvers,declining systems,and stagnating systems.We also considered lessons from other systems that did not have sufficient data to be included in the categories above but that

203、 may have lessons to impart,based on emerging evidence.For example,Vietnam has participated in some international assessments and registered results that far exceed peer countries and what might be expected based on its level of spend,but there is insufficient longitudinal data to draw trend lines.M

204、ultiple studies have isolated a strong impact from cultural forces;students,parents,educators,and leaders have all embraced the importance of education in a way that permeates practice and affects outcomes.41 Culture alone does not explain Vietnams performanceand across the world,systems from all di

205、fferent cultural constructs both perform well and underperformbut this case suggests that Vietnam has effectively leveraged the strong cultural norms around education to enable outsize performance.THE SYSTEMS PROFILED IN THIS RESEARCH HAVE DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENT OVER TIMEEXHIBIT 7 We researched 14

206、 systems that are beating the odds to understand why.GREATGOODFAIRPOORBELOW POORSYSTEMSingapore Estonia Poland Norway Peru Morocco South Africa Kenya Malawi London,UK Washington DC,USA Mississippi,USA Cear,Brazil Punjab,India SUSTAINED&OUTSIZED IMPROVERSEMERGING IMPROVERSSUBNATIONAL IMPROVERS2005 20

207、10 2015 2020 ASSESSMENTS1PISA,PIRLS,TIMSS PISA,PIRLS,TIMSS PISA PISA PISA TIMSS TIMSS SACMEQ SACMEQ GCSE NAEP NAEP SAEB NAS,ASER14A CALL TO ACTION ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE.Based on clear research into what influences outcomes,successful school systems ground changes in the classroom,focusing first and

208、 foremost on teachers and the content they deliver.They choose evidence-backed strategies relevant to their starting place and prioritize foundational learning,particularly in poorly resourced systems.They use technology as a tool to enhance learning,not as an end in itself.BUILD A DURABLE COALITION

209、 FOR CHANGE.Successful school systems focus on a few coherent priorities and rally stakeholders around them to ensure that everyone is on boardfrom system leadership to principals to teachers.They invest in authentic,two-way communication with families,educators,and communities to design better poli

210、cies and build deeper buy-in.CREATE DELIVERY CAPACITY TO SCALE.Successful systems move quickly from strategy to implementation,pacing reforms to show early traction while building stamina for the long road to impact.They build dedicated delivery teams with the organizational structures and individua

211、l skills to execute on plans over time.DRIVE AND ADAPT WITH DATA.Successful systems rigorously measure what mattersstudent learning outcomesand use data that is shared transparently to improve their interventions.As they roll out tried-and-true methods,they create space for innovation and measure th

212、e impact of new ideas,which feeds back into the evidence base of what works.Individually,these strategies may seem obvious or incremental.Together,they are transformative.Our survey suggests that systems that used all seven of the“how”levers above were six times more likely to be successful in meeti

213、ng their student outcome and system transformation goals than those that used four or fewer(Exhibit 9).The slow and steady work of implementation sets improving school systems apart from the rest.Education leaders can learn from those systemsand the stakes are high.If every nation heeded these lesso

214、ns and improved at the rate of the worlds top improvers,up to 350 million additional children could be lifted out of learning poverty globally.Improving school systems use reinforcing strategiesWhat does this diverse set of improving school systems have in common?The analysis shows that all successf

215、ul systems use a common set of reinforcing strategies to create a virtuous cycle enabling significant,long-term gains in student learning(Exhibit 8).15A CALL TO ACTION7 HOW LEVERSWHAT WORKS ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE Ground system strategy in better classroom instruction,aligning the system around learn

216、ing outcomes at the instructional core.Recognize the context start the journey from where you are,moving from poor-to-fair-to-good-to-great performance.BUILD A DURABLE COALITION FOR CHANGE 1 Set fewer priorities to get more done,with coherent,sustained,evidence-based goals.2 Cultivate leadership bey

217、ond a single leader,and institutions beyond the ministry.3 Engage educators and families authentically,with two-way communication.CREATE DELIVERY CAPACITY TO SCALE 4 Create coordination and cadence for change,turning strategies into plans,budgets,and timelines.5 Build implementation structures and s

218、kills across the center and middle layer.DRIVE AND ADAPT WITH DATA 6 Measure student outcomes and make them transparent;use this to create momentum,and to tailor and adapt policies and approach.7 Roll out what works,but create space for innovation,measuring to build evidence for what works.A CALL TO

219、 ACTION16EXHIBIT 8 Sustained improvers use a set of reinforcing strategies to create a virtuous cycle for long-term,outsized gains in student learning.ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCEBUILD A DURABLE COALITION FOR CHANGECREATE DELIVERY CAPACITY TO SCALEDRIVE AND ADAPT WITH DATAREINFORCING IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIE

220、S FOR SUCCESSA CALL TO ACTION17EXHIBIT 9 Systems that use all 7 levers are 6x more likely to be successful than those that use 4 or fewer.NUMBER OF LEVERS USED BY SUCCESSFUL TRANSFORMATIONS,%of transformations in each category that were successful 6x4Source:McKinseys Global Education Survey1-4 LEVER

221、S5 LEVERS6-7 LEVERS1823A CALL TO ACTION18WHAT DO THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENTS SINCE COVID-19 TELL US?In recent months,data from the first international assessments following the worst of the pandemic have cast light on how school systems fared through the pandemic:the PIRLS 202142 results and

222、 the PISA 2022 results.43 Across PIRLS and PISA,more countries slipped in this latest assessment than in previous rounds(Exhibit 10).EXHIBIT 10 Many countries saw a drop in student test results during the height of the pandemic,but some scores were falling even before COVID-19.PIRLSPISA18(60%)6(20%)

223、26(45%)19(33%)7(12%)6(10%)1 PISA:pre-COVID(2009-18)and post-COVID(2018-22);PIRLS:pre-COVID(2006-16)and post-COVID(2016-21)Source:PISA(2009-22),PIRLS(2006-2021)INCREASE PRE-AND POST-COVIDDECREASE PRE-COVID,INCREASE POST-COVIDINCREASE PRE-COVID,DECREASE POST-COVIDDECREASE PRE-COVID,AND POST-COVIDCOUNT

224、RIES PERFORMANCE PRE-AND POST-COVID ONSET,NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN EACH CATEGORY PER AVERAGE SCORE CHANGE15(17%)1(3%)Hong Kong Morocco Qatar SingaporePeru Qatar Singapore FranceJapan KoreaAustria Bulgaria Taiwan Denmark England Hungary NorwayLithuania Latvia Belgium Germany Italy Netherlands New Zeala

225、ndAustralia Belgium Bulgaria Canada Switzerland Chile Germany Spain FinlandNote:List of countries is non-exhaustive.FEATURE19A CALL TO ACTIONIn the PISA assessment,which covers the period from 2018 to 2022 and thus more closely mirrors the timing of the public health emergency,nearly 80 percent of c

226、ountries slipped in the most recent assessment.Mean performance since 2018 fell by approximately ten score points in reading(half a year of learning)and approximately 15 score points in math(three-quarters of a year of learning).One in four 15-year-olds globally are now considered low performers in

227、math,reading,and science;this is nearly double the 13.4 percent of students in 2018 who per-formed below proficient in all three subjects.44 Many of the countries that dropped in performance in the latest PISA assessment were already losing ground,including many European countries.But a new cohort o

228、f countries that were improving prior to the pandemic also saw declines in the recent assessment.By contrast,some countries seem to have weathered the pandemic better.Japan,Korea,and Taiwan were slipping prior to the pandemic but improved in this past cycle.And seven countries(Israel,Kazakhstan,Peru

229、,Qatar,Romania,Singapore,and Serbia)consistently improved their performance on PISA improving scores both in the decade prior to the pandemic,and be-tween 2018 to 2022(Exhibit 11).In both assessments,the data is likely more reflective of how countries perform in a global pandemic than how effective

230、they are at sustaining educational improve-ments over the long term.The systems profiled in this report sustained progress for a full decade or more.However,despite this strong foundation,some experi-enced declines in the most recent PIRLS and PISA data.This serves as a sobering reminder that system

231、 improvement requires consistent focus and attention.Some of the systems profiled in this report continued to improve even through the pandemic.Singapore remained the top-scoring country in all subject areas,and Peru maintained its significant gains from the past decade.Some countries were hit hard

232、by the pandemic.Estonia and Poland remain among the top absolute scorers on PISA but saw declines in performance in all three subject areas from 2018 to 2022.Norway,which had improved significantly on PIRLS and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS)in the previous decade,al

233、so saw declines in both PISA and PIRLS scores.South Africas PIRLS scores fell by more than 30 points.20A CALL TO ACTIONAVERAGE PISA SCORE CHANGE,2018-2022(COVID)AVERAGE PISA SCORE CHANGE,2009-2018(PRE-COVID DECADE)42403836346420-2-4-6-8-10-12-14-16-18-20-22-24-26-60 -55 -50 -35 -30 -25 -2

234、0 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20QatarEXHIBIT 11 How does performance compare before and after COVID-19?ONLY 6 COUNTRIES INCREASED THEIR PISA SCORES BEFORE AND AFER COVID-19;FOR MOST COUNTRIES,THE NEGATIVE TREND PERSISTEDPeruMacau SARAlbaniaMontenegroJordanPolandEstoniaSingaporeUnited KingdomColumbiaSwedenI

235、relandSloveniaCzech Rep.KazakstanPortugalPanamaDenmarkTrkiyeAustriaLatviaLithuaniaArgentinaBrazilUnited StatesChileCroatiaUruguayIndonesiaFranceNorwayMexicoChinese TapeiBulgariaItalyJapanBelgiumThailandGermanyUnited Kingdom:ScotlandCanadaHong Kong(China)HungaryNetherlandsBelgium:Flemish comumunityFi

236、nlandSlovak RepublicSwitzerlandIcelandGreeceNew ZealandAustraliaKoreaSpainSerbiaRomaniaIsraelAVERAGEAVERAGESystem profiled in“Spark and Sustain”report21A CALL TO ACTIONFor others,the latest results were a mixed bag.Moroccos math results were largely unchanged from 2018 to 2022,and both reading and s

237、cience scores declined,though there was a significant uptick in the number of students who took the most recent test administration.While the PISA results were sobering,the hope is that recognition of results can spur action to improve.In our global education survey,taken just before results were re

238、leased,many education leaders globally were sanguine about the impact of the pandemic.Almost 50 percent of respondents believed that students in their country had fully recovered from COVID-19s impact on learning and were performing at equivalent or higher levels to prior the pandemic.In every regio

239、n,PISA results indicate students performance still lags pre-pandemic results(Exhibit 12).For some system leaders,PISA 2022 offers the first large-scale quantitative evidence of the pandemics impact on learning.For others,national assessment data already provided an indication of performance trends.I

240、n the United States,the release of the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP)datawhich showed that students had lost two decades of progress during the worst of the pandemicprovided a wake-up call to leaders.45 The most recent PISA and PIRLS data may have a similar impact globally.Th

241、ere are many additional insights to glean from the PISA 2022 results.Learning losses were not as closely correlated to the length of school closures as expect-ed.Parental engagement went down during the pandemic despite news reports to the contrary.46 Although there was widespread concern about the

242、equity impact of school closures,the PISA results suggest that the pandemic did not meaningfully widen disparities in most countries.47(Other assessment tools do show widening racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps in many systems though,suggesting that leaders should consider multiple data sourc

243、es as they navigate pandemic recovery efforts.48)And worryingly,despite the widespread adoption and innovation in digital learning,students report being distracted by digital devices to the point that it negatively impacts performance and well-being.Researchers will continue to unpack this data,and

244、it may lead to new policy ideas and innovations.More immediately,though,as leaders grapple with the scale of learning gaps and determine how to proceed,this report offers valuable implementation lessons to ensure no additional time is lost as learning recovery continues.22A CALL TO ACTIONEXHIBIT 12

245、Despite a shared belief that countries have fully recovered from the pandemics impact,all regions saw score declines from 2018 to 2022.1 Respondents included senior leaders(e.g.,such as minister of educa-tion,department leader,and superintendent)and senior members of executive teams(e.g.,including m

246、inister,advisor,department leader,chief academic officer,and chief operating officer).2 Includes 2 answers:1)Fully recovered from the pandemic and perform-ing at higher levels than pre-pandemic and 2)Fully recovered from the pandemic and performing at equivalent levels to pre-pandemic3 Weighted aver

247、age of the change in average score across math,science,and reading,adjusted for the number of respondents in each country.South Africa,Sierra Leone,Nigeria,Uganda,India,and Laos did not participate in PISA 2022Source:McKinseys Global Education SurveyNORTH AMERICA82825Share that believe th

248、eir system has FULLY RECOVERED from COVID-192,%(Survey results)Share that believe their system has PARTIALLY RECOVERED from COVID-19,%(Survey results)TOTAL RESPONDENTS1EUROPELATIN AMERICAASIA&PACIFICMIDDLE EASTAFRICA542735392031PISA 2022 VS 2018 change in average score3-7-13-6-

249、1-3n/a23A CALL TO ACTION24A CALL TO ACTIONANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCEWhen it comes to student learning,the research is clear:a few core interventions are central to supporting student success.Students need access to high-quality materials aligned to rigorous standards and well-prepared teachers equipped

250、to deliver those materials in a differentiated way.This“instructional core”is at the heart of teaching and learning,and evidence-based interventions exist to improve student learning.Yet delivering this instructional core looks very different for a poor-to-fair system than for a good-to-great one.Sy

251、stems that have improved performance apply an evidence-based playbook that is tailored to their current level of performance and to the resources and capabilities across the system.For example,providing earned autonomy to teachers and principals has been a successful strategy in high-performing syst

252、ems.In lower-performing systems,educators may instead need more scaffolding to succeed at core instruction.CASE STUDIES Kenya|Cear(Brazil)|Poland|Singapore Ground systems strategy in better classroom instruction Start the journey from where you are25ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCEStarting with the classroom

253、may sound obvious,but its easy for improvement efforts to diverge from the evidence base of what works.Leaders may be tempted to start with system structures,such as reorganizing the education ministry,creating new school models,or scaling devices and connectivity to“digitalize education.”These are

254、not necessarily bad ideas,but they must support the instructional core,not supersede it(see sidebar“What about education technology?”).49Decades of research show that to improve outcomes,systems need to focus on interventions closest to students and work outward,starting with the classroom(what is t

255、aught and how it is taught),then the school(what supports exist for students and teachers),and finally aligning system supports (performance management,technology,infrastructure,and funding)to what is needed in the classroom.At the classroom level,successful systems recruit,develop,and retain the hi

256、ghest-quality teachers possible,developing talent before teachers enter the classroom and on a continual basis throughout their careers.Teachers are equipped with high-quality instructional curricula,instructional materials,and assessments so that they can deliver high-quality instruction to every s

257、tudent.At the school level,successful systems hire and build strong school leaders who both demonstrate instructional leadership and support teachers and school staff in meeting the needs of the whole child.School leaders create a positive school environment and engage families and the community.Thi

258、s focus on student well-being leads to improved attendance and learning.Everything else in the system is aligned to support the work in the classroom and at the school.Tools to track and manage performance,effective resource allocation,infrastructure and technology,governance and organization design

259、all come together to undergird student outcomes at the center.Finally,investments in childrens earliest years,including providing access to early childhood education and to pre-and postnatal health support,help ensure that students are ready to learn when they enter school(Exhibit 13).The past decad

260、e has added a tremendous body of evidence to a still-growing research base about which specific interventions work,both in the instructional core and in the supporting elements of school systems.We looked at hundreds of academic studies and manuscripts in an attempt to understand what works to impro

261、ve student learning in the highest-performing systems.ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCESuccessful school systems place learning outcomes at the core of improvement efforts.They focus first and foremost on teachers and the instruction they deliver.Any element of change in the broader school system is intentiona

262、lly aligned to support what is happening in the classroom.Ground systems strategy in better classroom instructionANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE26 SC High-quality,rigorous curriculum,instructional materials and assessments Robust pedagogy and instruction Mindsets,future skills,and social-emotional learning A

263、cademic supportMATERIALS&PEDAGOGY:Deliver high-quality instructional curriculum to every student Pre-service recruitment and training Professional development,coaching,and support Evaluation,retention,and incentivesEDUCATORS:Recruit,develop and retain the highest-possible quality teachers in classro

264、oms and leaders in schools Accountability and supportsPERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT:Track&manage the performance of all schools Physical infrastructure Educational technology Org structure,governance and system leadership Funding allocationENABLING FACTORS:allocation,governance,and operationsEnsure fair an

265、d efective resources,WHOLE CHILD SUPPORTS:Enhance student wellbeing to improve attendance and learning School climate Family engagement Multi-tiered support servicesSCHOOLCLASSROOMSYSTEM SUPPORTSABCDESTUDENT OUTCOMES:Access and persistence Learning outcomes Student wellbeing College and career outco

266、mes Early childhood development Pre-and post-natal supportsSCHOOL READINESS:EXHIBIT 13 School system excellence starts in the classroom.27We screened interventions using three lenses(see the methodological appendix for more detail):IMPACT ON STUDENT OUTCOMES.Systems may define student success broadl

267、y,including achievement,well-being,and educational attainment.For comparability and consistency in analysis,we used standard deviations of im-provement on relevant assessments as the main impact measure,which excluded the fewest studies from consideration.STRENGTH OF THE EXISTING EVIDENCE BASE.Some

268、interventions have been well-studied in multiple systems with strong experimental and quasi experimental designs to estimate their impact on student outcomes.Other interventions dont lend themselves well to experimental design or have yet to have rigorous,large-scale program evaluations completed.We

269、 gave each intervention a categorical score based on how many large-scale experimental(or quasi experimental)studies existed and how broadly the intervention had been evaluated across different contexts in those studies.FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTATION.Here we considered three factors that influence th

270、e feasibility of actually rolling out an intervention at scale the cost of the intervention,the political will required for adoption,and the complexity of its implementation.Interventions in the“moderate”feasibility category tend to look similar to existing practices(e.g.,earlier hiring of teachers,

271、summer learning programs),while interventions at the other“most challenging”end of the feasibility spectrum(e.g.,reducing class size,or desegregating schools)require large expenditures or significant political shifts to accomplish.We used the best available evidence to plot interventions based on th

272、eir impact and feasibility of implementation,understanding that reasonable debates are ongoing around many of these interventions and their efficacy.The message was clear:the majority of high-impact interventions relate directly to the instructional core by focusing on the teachers in the classroom

273、and the materials and pedagogy they employ(Exhibit 14).As systems consider interventions from across the matrix,a few caveats are in order.First,intervention effects vary from system to system.Academic studies rarely find the same or even similar effects from the same interventions in different cont

274、exts.As promising interventions scale,they often lose efficacy.System leaders know well that simply“importing”what has worked somewhere else is never as simple as it sounds.The details matter.For example,general professional development for teachers has shown disappointing impact on student outcomes

275、,but job-embedded,curriculum-aligned professional development has shown promising results.50 Similarly,several studies have shown the efficacy of high-dosage tutoring.However,efforts to scale tutoring have proved disappointing when the scaling process ignores or makes changes to key ingredients incl

276、uding the intensity(three to five times a week,30 to 50 minutes,and incremental to existing classroom instruction),the location(in school),and the tutor(college educated and consistent).Second,no intervention stands alone.A balanced portfolio of investments will likely include some expensive but hig

277、h-impact big bets,as well as several smaller efforts with lower(but still positive)impact that are cheaper and easier to accomplish.Systems may also balance interventions that have more impact on test scores with those that have impact on other measures,including attendance,retention,or student well

278、-being.Some interventions may have moderate impact overall but high impact on subgroups of students.For example,diversifying the teacher workforce may have moderate impact on overall test scores but has shown significant impact on educational attainment for students of color.Across all these interve

279、ntions,the evidence we draw on largely comes from well-established,higher-income education systems.But just because the interventions have worked in high-income countries doesnt mean that low-income countries should apply the evidence base to their own,very different,context.In fact,the next lesson

280、suggests that could be the worst thing they could do.ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE28IMPACTFEASIBILITYHigh quality preK EXHIBIT 14 For developed systems,proven interventions can be assessed based on their impact and feasibility.TalentAcademicsWhole Child SupportsPerformance&ManagementEnabling FactorsWell-es

281、tablishedModerateEmergingSTRENGTH OF EVIDENCE BASESchool ReadinessJob-embedded,curriculum-aligned teacher PD High dosage tutoringAdaptive personalized,mastery-based curriculum and enabling technologyInnovative classroom staffing2 Principal pipeline&development Social Emotional learning and Student m

282、indset interventions(e.g.self-awareness,self-management,relationship skills)3Early,unconstrained teacher recruiting/hiring Differentiation and advancement for students Flexible heterogeneous grouping of students Use of formative assessments Increasing parental support/involvementInquiry based instru

283、ction Reducing class size School desegregation efforts Standardized assessments for accountability$1000 increase in per pupil spend1 Diversifying the teacher workforce Teacher evaluation Culturally responsive teaching Non-academic student support Grade retention Absenteeism interventions Developing

284、trust-based relationships between student and teacher Teacher incentives Use of technology by teachers Parental engagement in early childhoodPractical,residency-based pre-service Access to grade level materials Trusted/Reliable performance management systemsAddressing teacher biases/expectations Gov

285、ernance changes (i.e.,state takeovers)Restorative Justice programs Multi-tiered System of Supports Access to devices and connectivity Teacher retention incentives Teacher professional development(general)Hiring/Incentivizing based on teacher credentials Principal performance&evaluation systems HIGHE

286、RHIGHMODERATELOWMOST CHALLENGINGCHALLENGINGMODERATE1 Overall spending can produce gains for students,but spending on instruction,support services,and capital improvements have a stronger evidence base.2 This includes models that extend the impact of the highest performing teachers(e.g.,Opportunity C

287、ulture).3 This includes interventions that help students develop self-awareness,self-management,relationship skills,metacognition.ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE29EVIDENCE OF WHAT HELPS STUDENTS LEARNThere is a deep body of evidence about what helps students learn at the classroom and school level.Systems ca

288、n employ proven strategies to recruit,develop,and retain high-quality teachers and leaders;deliver high-quality instructional content to students;and enhance student well-being.FEATUREANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE30AGreat teaching starts with great teachers.Research shows that even one great teacher can se

289、t students on a substantially different academic trajectory.51 Its hard to identify a great teacher from observable characteristics.52 What we do know about teacher quality is that teachers with greater cognitive skills and subject knowledge are associated with higher student performance53 and that,

290、to an extent,teacher diversity matters.54 So how can systems get more great teachers in front of students?ATTRACT THE RIGHT POOL OF TEACHER CANDIDATES.Top systems are more likely to have teachers who graduated in the top quartile of their training cohort.To attract a high-performing and diverse grou

291、p of teachers,systems can provide multiple pathways into teaching and hire early to secure top talent.55 Increasing teacher pay can be effective in recruiting high-quality teachers,though broad increases can lead to greater retention of lower-quality teachers if not carefully targeted or paired with

292、 other strategies.ENSURE PRACTICAL PRE-SERVICE TRAINING.To prepare teachers to hit the ground running on day one,school systems can invest in practical pre-ser-vice training such as apprenticeships and residen-cies.This training can be aligned with professional standards and closely linked to actual

293、 practice in schools.For example,future teachers could have opportunities to practice teaching in a classroom and have access to role models,coaching,and real-time feedback.56SUPPORT AND DEVELOP TEACHERS.Research shows that most teacher professional development is ineffective.57 Yet some strategies

294、do make a difference,such as job-embedded,curriculum-aligned professional development,which takes place at school and focuses on teach-ers daily work of implementing the curriculum in their classrooms(for example,a coach observing a lesson or a teacher examining student work,rather than one-off teac

295、her seminars).58 Teachers benefit from professional learning communities that breed collaboration and collegiality and create opportunities to take risks.59DEPLOY TEACHERS AND MANAGE PERFORMANCE.Top systems treat teachers as professionals with individual strengths and weaknesses.60 They reward stron

296、g performance,address underperformance,and deploy their best teachers to the highest-need students and schools.Staffing choices can help drive stronger outcomes;for example,students may experience added benefit from spending multiple years with the same teacher.61RETAIN TOP TEACHERS.Top systems inve

297、st in creating a compelling teacher value proposition,including pay as well as career pathways and support.62 They create ways for great teachers to grow without leaving the classroom,such as by allowing them to mentor new teachers,serve as“master teachers”whose expertise benefits a broader set of e

298、ducators,or provide instructional coaching to other teachers.ATTRACT,DEVELOP,DEPLOY AND RETAIN GREAT SCHOOL LEADERS.Great principals dont just manage a building;they manage a teaching team.Leaders set a clear vision for quality instruction and build teachers skills through observation,coaching,and d

299、ata-driven instructional programs.63 Research shows that an effective principal can influence student learning nearly as much as an effective teacher.64 EDUCATORS:Recruit,develop,and retain the highest-possible quality teachers and leadersANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE31Having great teachers isnt enough.Gre

300、at school systems equip those teachers with the right tools and supports to succeed.Teachers need high-quality instructional materials(HQIM)and the skills to help all students access them,regardless of their academic needs.65 START WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS.High-performing systems have high standards

301、and clear expectations for what classroom learning should cover at each grade level.Students who get more access to advanced materials tend to perform better in school,even if they start out behind grade level.66 Systems can set expectations that demand rigorous materials and create room for joy in

302、learning.Students deserve both.However,you cant prescribe joy;that depends on the individual relationship between teacher and student.Systems can provide the framework for rigor and give teachers the freedom to create joyful and challenging learning experiences.EQUIP TEACHERS WITH CURRICULA BASED ON

303、 THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING.According to cognitive research,certain strategies(such as spacing lessons out over time or using quiz-zes to reinforce learning)help students remember information.Early emphasis on phonics(teaching students to explicitly connect sounds with letters)helps students learn to r

304、ead.Curricula can provide students with the skills and attributes required for the current and future workforce.67 EQUIP TEACHERS TO DELIVER HQIM TO EVERY STUDENT AND GIVE THEM THE INCENTIVES TO DO SO.Adopting new curricula and high-quality instructional materials can require significant changes in

305、teaching practices.Great systems provide teachers with extensive,ongoing support on effective use of HQIM.68 ASSESS FOR LEARNING AND DIFFERENTIATION.Great systems make good use of formative assessments to monitor student learning,identify misunderstandings,and address gaps.69 Frequent,standards-alig

306、ned assessments help teachers tailor their instruction to different student learning needs.70 Differentiated instruction has been linked to increased academic performance,particularly for students with learning disabilities.71 TEACH KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS,AND MINDSETS:Research suggests that students“minds

307、ets”like growth mindset and sense of belongingare twice as predictive of students test scores than home environment and demographics.72 Interventions focused on metacognition and social-emotional learning have demonstrated meaningful impact on student outcomes at a relatively low cost.73 But teachin

308、g knowledge is also critical.Human working memory is limited,and students need to store knowledge in their long-term memory to be able to access information to solve problems(for example,memorizing multiplication tables allows students to access this information automatically when doing complex calc

309、ulus equations).74PROVIDE STUDENT SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT CAN SUCCEED.Great systems use proven strategies for students who need extra support.High-dosage tutoring(one-on-one or small-group tutoring at least three times a week)produces significant academic gains.75 Summer school and long

310、er school days can create additional time for learning if they are structured well.Research also shows that acceleration(starting with the current grades content,with support)is more effective than remediation(reviewing content missed)in helping students catch up.76 For students who speak another la

311、nguage at home,language and vocabulary skill development requires repetitive review of new vocabulary and regular,structured opportunities to practice oral and written language skills.77 Students with disabilities benefit from learn-ing alongside their peers with routines,behavioral accommodations,a

312、nd differentiated instruction.78MATERIALS AND PEDAGOGY:Deliver rigorous high-quality instructional curriculum to every student BANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE32WHOLE CHILD SUPPORTS:Enhance student wellbeing to improve attendance and learningCIn addition to advancing student learning,schools play a critical

313、role in student health and community support.For students to learn most effectively,they must be mentally and physically well,and they need to feel safe at school.Students experiencing trauma struggle to learn,79 and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing mental health challenges among young

314、 people.80 Schools cannot address these factors alone,but they can be equipped to respond.CREATE A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE.Great schools create a positive emotional climate for learning.They build strong relationships among educators,students,and families,and create connections with the broader comm

315、unity.They prioritize the physical and emotional safety of students with appropriate facilities for learning;policies that protect students from harassment,bullying,and violence;and clear and fair approaches to discipline.81OFFER COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORT.Great schools also provide comprehensive

316、 support to students struggling with emotional,social,or academic challenges.82 They provide multitiered support services with whole-school interventions,such as those focused on school climate and family engagement(tier 1),83 support delivered in small groups(tier 2),and individual student supports

317、(tier 3).84 These interventions have a small to moderate impact on achievement,but they have a larger impact on attendance,behavior,and retention,and they meet broader societal goals.33ANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCESchool systems start in different places.Teachers in Sierra Leone,where 40 percent of primary

318、 school classrooms do not have access to running water,85 face different challenges than educators in Singapore,who teach in modern fa-cilities with universal access to high-speed internet and technology.86 Teachers have different needs,and leaders have different resources at their disposal.By neces

319、sity,school systems invest differently in their instructional core.School system leaders often copy successful strategies from other countries.Its good to aim high,but emulating countries such as Finland or Singapore can be counterproductive.With classrooms of more than 100 students,87 community tea

320、chers in Malawi may not have the training and background to design complex project-based multidisciplinary lessons from scratch as teachers in Finland do.Instead,they may benefit from more-structured lesson plans based on a carefully sequenced literacy and numeracy curriculum.Educators in different

321、systems share the same end goalimproved student learningbut the student context is different,and instructional strategies can be,too(see sidebar“What about 21st century skills?”).The most improved school systems start the journey from where they are.They consider student performance,their financial

322、resources,and the capabilities of their people,particularly teachers and school leaders.This is true both across the system and within it,given the variation across schools and even classrooms.In systems with more than 90 percent of children in learning poverty,leaders may consider interventions des

323、igned to support the overall student population,whereas systems with higher rates of average student performance may target specific achievement gaps.In our 2010 report on the worlds most improved school systems,88 we grouped school systems into several categories,or performance bands,based on stude

324、nt learning levels:poor,fair,good,great,and excellent.These performance bands correlate to different score groupings on international assess-ments and provide a shorthand for understanding how academic achievement in each system stacks up against international standards.The 2010 report also consider

325、ed the journey from one band to the next;in other words,what does it take to move from poor to fair,from fair to good,and from good to great?In this report,we continue to use these performance bands as a reference tool when considering which strategies might be most effective in systems with varying

326、 outcome levels,but with several notable changes.In the past decade,performance data for many low-income systems has become available for the first time,enabling us to add those systems to our data set.We therefore introduced an additional band at the lower end of performance to create more nuance b

327、etween“poor”systems,which have lower levels of student achievement,and“below poor”systems,which include those with the highest rates of learning poverty.Increasing the number of systems covered by our schema also affected the performance-band cutoffs across the other levels including collapsing the“

328、great”and“excellent”categories,because few or no systems met the threshold for the latter group.Across all levels of performance,the imperatives of systems strategy stay the same:starting in the classroom with rigorous materials delivered by the highest-quality educators the system can develop;conti

329、nuing at the school level with quality principals creating a positive school environment that provides whole-child support;and aligning all system enablers in support.But these imperatives look very different in practice across different levels of performance.(Exhibit 15).Start the journey from wher

330、e you areANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCEANCHOR IN THE EVIDENCE34EXHIBIT 15 The journey to improve starts from where you are.Provide motivation and scaffolding for low teachers Practical spaced teacher training Structured coaching(re-purposed from compliance to coaching)Provide instructional training to all s

331、chool leadersDevelop incentives for both teachers and school leaders to attract and retain top talent Meritocratic hiring processes Investment in recruiting,pre-service training and aligned coaching Fair pay based on national standards(equivalent to GDP per capita)Foster continuous improvement cultu

332、re Job-embedded curriculum-aligned teacher professional development Collaborative proactive,peer-learning Top performers to high-need schools Sustainable career tracksMake teachers lives easier through guided systems of teaching Focus on literacy and numeracy School schedule to maximize learning tim

333、e Scripted lesson plans and teacher focused technology Universal textbook provisionAdopt competence-based curricula and assessments at system level Resources to reinforce pedagogy for advanced literacy and numeracy Flexible curriculum adapted to local contexts Instruction tied to economic pathwaysSupport and hold teachers and schools accountable to adopt HQIM that includes:Standards-aligned eviden