Keys to creating better students

 The crucial question here is whether the remaining variation in performance can be attributed to the systemic differences in the way the schools are run. Specifically, schools are seen as producers of educational outcomes (average test scores). Taking the inputs from 211 schools in the sample such as the ESCS of the student bodies, studentteacher ratio, the measurable quality of teachers and available educational resources, I have constructed an achievable performance frontier for each of the schools, based on the best performers with comparable inputs. The gaps between the actual average test scores at the school level and the theoretical frontiers are then used to compute the efficiency score (maximum score is 100) for the schools.

With space constraint, I will discuss only a few important variables that show the relationship between school autonomy and accountability, and their performance. Figure 2 plots the likely effects on the efficiency scores of schools from making public their achievement data (aggregated school or gradelevel test scores). The gains in performance are seen to be largest among the weakest schools with efficiency scores in the lower percentile rankings.

(Figure 2: The Effect of Making Achievement Data Public – by Performance Percentile)

 

Figure 3 shows the immense importance of linking greater school autonomy to increased accountability. The graphs show the likely effects on school performance of giving principals greater responsibility to make important decisions regarding school management of resource allocation; such as selecting teachers for hire, firing teachers, determining teacher salaries, and deciding withinschool budget allocation. The dashline graph shows the adverse effects on performance across percentile ranking of schools from having greater autonomy without corresponding accountability. Higher autonomy, accompanied by constant pressure exerted by parents on schools to achieve higher academic standards, results in significant gains in performance across all percentile rankings (see solidline graph in Figure 3).

Similar conclusions are reached when schools are given greater autonomy for curriculum and assessment (establishing student assessment policies, choosing textbooks, deciding course content, and which courses are offered). The greatest performance gains occur under the scenario where teachers emphasise science teaching, and authorities are able to carefully monitor achievement data over time.

(Figure 3: The Effect of Increasing School Responsibility for Resource Allocation – Index under Different Accountability Regimes – by Performance Percentile)

 

I have shown that there are potentially large benefits to be gained if school reforms are initiated at school levels instead of being directed by the central government. However, school reforms will not succeed without involvement from stakeholders, such as parents and members of the local community to assert pressure on the principals and teachers to perform. Even as government provides the necessary funding, local authorities must force schools to be more transparent on their students’ academic achievements, help them to set performance targets, rigorously monitor their performance over time, and have appropriate support mechanisms to help the weaker schools achieve their goals.

 

Dilaka Lathapipat, TDRI, 

[email protected]