2011年-世界发展银行全球_An_Impact_Evaluation_of_Sri_Lankas_Policies_to_Promote_the_Academic_Performance_of_Primary_School_Students_through_School_Improvement_and_Report_Card_Programs_42页_1mb

Summary of the Impact Evaluation of Sri Lanka's School Improvement and School Report Card Programs

Core Content

This report evaluates the impact of two education programs implemented in Sri Lanka under the Education Sector Development Framework and Programme (ESDFP) from 2006 to 2010: the Programme for School Improvement (PSI) and the School Report Card Programme (SRCP). The evaluation focuses on the academic performance of Grade IV students, particularly in English and Mathematics, and examines how these programs influenced school management and community engagement.

Main Objectives

• To assess the impact of the PSI and SRCP on the academic outcomes of primary school students.
• To compare the effectiveness of the two programs with a control group of schools.
• To identify the key factors contributing to improved performance and suggest future directions for program development.

Key Programs and Their Goals

Programme for School Improvement (PSI)

• Objective: Introduce school-based management to improve the educational environment and student performance.
• Key Goals:
  • Encourage active involvement of the school community (parents, teachers, past pupils).
  • Promote planned development of the school.
  • Improve the utilization of resources.
  • Enhance curricular and co-curricular performance through community collaboration.
  • Align staff training with school needs.
  • Strengthen school-community relationships.
  • Entrust responsibility to the School Development Committee (SDC) to ensure accountability.

School Report Card Programme (SRCP)

• Objective: Provide schools with performance feedback to encourage improvement.
• Key Features:
  • Report cards were filled out by school personnel and distributed to parents and SDC members.
  • Included data on attendance, dropout rates, exam pass percentages, and SDC activities.
  • Aimed to inform stakeholders about school performance and promote institutional improvement.

Evaluation Design

• A randomized control trial was used, with 200 schools divided into four groups:
  • Group 1: Schools implementing PSI.
  • Group 2: Schools implementing SRCP.
  • Group 3: Schools implementing both PSI and SRCP.
  • Group 4: Control group (no program implementation).
• Baseline data was collected in 2006, and follow-up data in 2008.
• The study aimed to isolate the impact of the programs by controlling for student, family, and school characteristics.

Key Findings

• PSI had a positive and significant impact on student cognitive performance, particularly in English and Mathematics.
• Community involvement increased, with parents and community members playing a more active role in school activities.
• School Development Committees (SDCs) were effective in mobilizing local resources and improving school management.
• SRCP showed little impact on school performance, likely due to limited policy support and lack of integration into school operations.
• Parents in schools with SDCs were more likely to support their children's learning at home, such as setting aside dedicated study time.

Recommendations for Future Development

• Expand the PSI to all schools in the country.
• Consolidate PSI in schools with established structures but low activity, by providing clarity in roles, capacity building, and ongoing support.
• Enhance real devolution of decision-making, not just decentralization, by reforming teacher accountability and devolving recruitment to the school level.
• Review and standardize the roles and functions of SDCs and School Management Teams (SMTs) to ensure they are appropriate for all school types and sizes.
• Empower lower levels of governance with clear, non-overlapping functions and strengthen zonal capacity through training and networking.
• Focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged schools, as effective governance is crucial for marginalized communities.
• Develop parent involvement programs that include both distal (e.g., attending meetings) and proximal (e.g., helping with homework) activities.
• Mainstream the SRCP within government reform programs to enhance its effectiveness and ensure it is used to improve institutional performance.

Conclusion

The PSI has demonstrated positive and significant effects on student learning and community engagement in school management. In contrast, the SRCP has not shown a statistically significant impact, suggesting the need for better integration and policy support. The study emphasizes the importance of decentralization and community involvement in improving educational outcomes, while also highlighting the potential challenges and disadvantages of such approaches, including equity issues and the risk of elite capture. Future efforts should focus on expanding and refining the PSI, while rethinking the SRCP to ensure it supports the goals of school improvement effectively.

Key Information

• Report No. 35
• Year of Publication: May 2011
• Funding: World Bank and Education Program Development Fund (EPDF)
• Main Evaluation Tools: Randomized control trial with 200 schools
• Data Collected: Baseline (2006) and follow-up (2008)
• Key Themes of ESDFP: Equitable access, quality improvement, resource allocation, and service delivery
• Acronyms:
  • ESDFP: Education Sector Development Framework and Programme
  • PSI: Programme for School Improvement
  • SRCP: School Report Card Programme
  • SDC: School Development Committee
  • SMT: School Management Team
  • NEREC: National Evaluation Research and Evaluation Centre
  • GCE O/L: General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level
  • GCE A/L: General Certificate of Education Advanced Level
  • UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Impact on Communities

• Improved Parental Engagement: Parents in schools with SDCs were more involved in their children's education.
• Enhanced Learning Environment: SDCs contributed to the development of resources and activities that supported student learning.
• Social Cohesion: Community activities helped in building social cohesion and respecting diversity in a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society.

This evaluation underscores the potential of school-based management to enhance educational outcomes and the need for a more holistic and inclusive approach to school improvement in Sri Lanka.