Education and Assessment in France Bruno Trosseille DEPP - Assessment, Forecasting and Performance Directorate Ministry of Education, France International conference : Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15th october

Introduction Education and assessment in France: o Different topics: students, schools, teachers, policies,... o Several actors: ministry, inspectorate, national council for evaluation, researchers, teachers... This presentation: Focus on student assessment DEPP: o Directorate for assessment, forecasting and performance of the French Ministry of Education. o The DEPP is in charge of designing and managing the statistical information system. It designs and implements a programme of evaluations, surveys and studies with regards to all aspects of the education system. 2 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Testing in France History: o Testing was born in France (Binet, 1905)... o... but has grown outside of France. o Psychometrics and educational measurement are not very developed. A paradox: o French pupils are assessed nearly daily by their teachers. o Marks are considered as very important in the education system. o Exams such "baccalauréat" are real institutions. o But the culture of standardized testing is rather weak. o Despite a number of studies since the 1930's showing equity problems. 3 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Diagnostic and Monitoring Historically (since the 1980's), two kinds of student assessments were distinguished: o Diagnostic assessments: professional tools for teachers, which enable individual diagnosis of each student (assessing the strengths and the weaknesses of each). o Monitoring assessments: to monitor and account for trends over time, to compare populations, structures and characteristic groups, to study links between developments in the skills acquired by students and effects due to evolutions in the teaching policy or context. 4 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Evolution Periods: o From 1989 to 2007: yearly exhaustive diagnostic assessments in grade 3 and grade 6. o From the 2000's: emphasis placed on sample-based monitoring assessment programmes (e.g. CEDRE). o : a move towards of mixed-format with exhaustive assessments used as local monitoring assessments for schools. Today, 3 levels with 3 different needs: national, "academies“ (districts), classrooms. 5 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Context Some important aspects today concerning assessment of the education system: o Standards: "Le socle commun de connaissances et de competences" (Common base for knowledge and skills) is a standard of minimal required knowledge and skills at the end of compulsory schooling. o Monitoring: the budget law requires the Minister to account for the educational achievement with regards to spending-indicators of performance are defined. o Media and political impact: growing importance of assessments in the public debate. 6 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Monitoring assessments Recent growing of monitoring large-scale assessments programmes: o Sample-based. o No individual student feedback. o Global level of analysis. o Targets: policy makers, teachers, parents, public debate. For monitoring the education system, we believe that it is necessary to combine: o A national view with assessments according to national objectives. o A comparative view according to international assessments or bi- or multi- lateral comparisons. 7 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

French education system Exams: "brevet" (grade 9), "baccalaureat" (grade 12). Assessment programs: mainly at grade 5 (end of primary school) and at grade 9 (end of lower secondary school). 8 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Overview Assessment programmes: o Time comparisons (cross-sectional, cycle CEDRE). o Annual indicators (Common base, JDC). o Longitudinal surveys ("Panels"). o Long-term trends (RRR, years). o Experiments. o International comparisons (PISA, PIRLS, TIMSS, ESLC). o Adults (IVQ, PIAAC). 9 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

CEDRE Cycle of Sample-Based Subject-Specific Assessments A year cycle: o 2003, 2009, 2015: spoken and written language o 2004, 2010,2016: foreign languages o 2005: social attitudes o 2006, 2012: history, geography and civic education o 2007, 2013: sciences o 2008, 2014: mathematics Target populations: grade 5 and grade 9. Sample sizes: between 4,000 and 15, Computer-based modules. 10 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Annual Indicators Common Base of Knowledge and Skills Since 2011 (standards): percentage of pupils who master the standards in French, Mathematics and Science, and since 2007 "basic competencies" in French and Mathematics. Target populations: grade 2, grade 5 and grade 9. Sample sizes: between 8,000 and 160,000. Illiteracy JDC (Citizenship and Defense Day): reading tests to detect illiterate young people. Since 1999: paper-based. Since 2009: automated test administration. Target populations: 17-year old. Census of 17-year old French people (about 750,000). 11 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Longitudinal Surveys Since the 1970's, Longitudinal Surveys have been conducted in France to study the students' cursus and development. "Panel" grade 6 Cognitive assessments and attitude/motivation questionnaires Cohort: 2007 grade 6 students Sample size: about 35,000 "Panel" grade 1 Assessments in early education topics Cohort: 2011 grade 1 students Sample size: about 15, International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Experiments Longitudinal surveys to evaluate the efficacy of a pedagogical Programme (treatment group versus control group). Integrated Teaching of Science and Technology Developing competences in science investigation Target population: lower secondary schools Sample size: about 4,000 "Reading" Programme Effect of developing phonological awareness on early acquisitions Target population: end of pre-primary school and begining of primary school Sample size: about 4, International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Long-term trends Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic year comparison ( ) in reading comprehension, calculation and spelling Target populations : grade 5 Sample sizes: 4,000 Assessment of Reading Difficulties 10-year comparison ( ) in reading difficulties Target populations : grade 6 Sample sizes: 10, International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

International comparisons (1) PIRLS, Progress in International Reading Literacy Study Since 2001, 5-year cycle IEA programme of reading literacy assessment Target populations: grade 4 Sample sizes: about 4,500 PISA, Programme for International Student Assessment Since 2000, 3-years cycle OECD programme of reading, maths and science literacy Target population: 15-year old students Sample sizes: about 4, International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

International comparisons (2) TIMSS, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Since 1995, 4-year cycle IEA programme Target populations: grades 4, 8 and TIMSS Advanced in final-year France did participate in 1995 in grade 8 and TIMSS Advanced Participation in 2015 ESLC, European Survey of Language Competences 2011 EU programme of foreign language assessment Target populations: grade 9 Sample sizes: about 4, International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Adults IVQ, Information for Everyday Life Literacy and numeracy performance (2004 and 2011), with National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) Target population: year-old Sample sizes: about 10,000 PIAAC, Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies OECD literacy and numeracy assessment programme (2012) Target population: year-old Sample size: about 7, International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Inequalities are rising From the end of the 1990's until now, convergence between national and international assessments: o More and more struggling students (from about 15% to 20% in ten years) o A rise in social inequalities (end of lower secondary school) 18 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015

Work in progress o Quality o Students' motivation to take part in the test o Computerized adaptive testing o Statistical modelling o Contextual variables o Communication of results THANK YOU! 19 International conference Evolution of educational assessment Moscow 15 october 2015