Teacher Policies and Quality Education in Latin America and the Caribbean Emiliana Vegas Chief of the Education Division Inter-American Development Bank November 19, 2013

Contents How much progress has been made in education in recent years? What are the current main education challenges? Teachers as central to raise education quality

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

Significant progress has been made in expanding access… 9.5 of every 10 children enter primary education at the adequate age 7.5 of every 10 students enter secondary education And about 1/3 of all secondary school graduates enter post-secondary education Source: World Bank 2012

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

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

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

Contents How much progress has been made in education in recent years? What are the current main education challenges? Teachers as central to raise education quality

The main education challenge is raising student learning Student learning is: Low Unequal Inadequate No sólo se trata de un problema de acceso, en América Latina hay un problema de calidad de la educación.

Student learning is low Source: IDB/EDU 2013 calculations based on OECD/PISA 2009

Student learning is low Source: IDB/EDU calculations based OECD/PISA 2009 data

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

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

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

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

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

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

Student learning is inadequate Weighted average Source: Graduatexxi, 2012. Calculations based on household surveys.

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

Contents How much progress has been made in education in recent years? What are the current main education challenges? Teachers as central to raise education quality

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

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

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

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

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