OECD urges greater review of education reforms

The success of education reforms in OECD countries could be threatened by a lack of evaluation, according to new research.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released a report today which showed that governments rarely review new education policies after they have been introduced. Of the 450 different reforms that were implemented across OECD countries between 2008 and 2014, only one in ten were evaluated by governments.

OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher said: "While it is encouraging to see a greater focus on outcomes, rather than simply increasing spending, it’s crucial that reforms are given the time to work and their impact is analyzed."

A separate OECD report, also published today, showed that 15% of young people in OECD countries do not have adequate qualifications to function in today’s society. Effective education reform is thus crucial, but this will only come with evidence-based policymaking enabled by regular policy evaluations.

IZA World of Labor authors analyzed a range of education policies. Elizabeth U. Cascio looks at the effects of universal early education, finding that this may increase adult employment in the long-term, as well as raising test scores. The benefits are especially significant for disadvantaged children.

Meanwhile, Tuomas Pekkarinen discusses school tracking, which he says is beneficial for average educational achievement, but potentially harmful for social mobility.

Read more here.

Related articles:
The promises and pitfalls of universal early education, by Elizabeth U. Cascio
School tracking and intergenerational social mobility, by Tuomas Pekkarinen
Overeducation, skill mismatches, and labor market outcomes for college graduates, by Peter J. Sloane