1. 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

2. 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

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

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

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

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

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

8. 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

9. 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.

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

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

12. 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

13. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20. 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

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

22. 5 Dimensions of Success of Top-Performing Education Systems
1 High expectations for student learning guide the provision and monitoring of education services
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

23. All students have access to effective teachers3
All students have access to effective teachers
Key areas of action:
Transform the teaching profession to attract, develop, motivate, and retain the best professionals.
Strengthen the role of school directors and their leaders in how to improve teaching effectiveness.
Develop instructional support structures for networks of schools, principals and teachers.

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

25. Thank you!