Policy pointers

Education

Skills for Prosperity: A Roadmap for Vocational Education and Training

Skills Australia

This 176-page report puts forward comprehensive reforms for the way the Australian vocational education and training sector is developed, organised and financed

Education, Employment, Industrial Relations & Training Posted: 2011-05-10

Entering the Mainstream: The Quality and Extent of Online Education in the United States, 2003 and 2004

Sloan Consortium

A 27-page study of online education in the U.S. higher education system examining growth in enrollments, user satisfaction and the perception of schools as to long-term growth potential and quality of tuition

EducationPosted: 2004-11-20

Post-School Plans: Aspirations, Expectations and Implementation

Smith Family

This 94-page Australian study exames the effects of factors such as family wealth, gender, ability and vocational orientation as influences on post-school plans

EducationPosted: 2004-04-21

School Admissions

Social Market Foundation

A 34-page U.K. report proposing that places in oversubscribed secondary schools should be allocated by ballot

EducationPosted: 2004-07-29

An Aligned and Coordinated Approach to Education for Children 3 to 8 years old

Society for Research in Child Development

This 24-page U.S. report proposes an approach aimed at enabling children to maintain gains made in early education and early intervention programmes

EducationPosted: 2005-09-15

Diversity: School, Family, and Community Connections

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory

A 102-page U.S. report synthesising a range of research on how families, communities and schools influence achievement among diverse school populations

EducationPosted: 2004-07-19

Benefits of a Speech Pathology Programme

Speech Pathology Australia

This Australian background paper claims that a speech pathology programme has important lessons for the treatment of teens with behavioural problems

Families, Children & Youth, EducationPosted: 2010-05-20

Education Aid in Fragile States: Delivering it Effectively

SPIRU

An 8-page briefing paper that develops a framework for assessing the effectiveness of education aid in fragile states

International Development, EducationPosted: 2007-09-11

Readiness to Learn at School Among Five-Year-Old Children in Canada

Statistics Canada

This 153-page Canadian report examines the abilities, behaviour and attitudes of Canadian children as they enter school

EducationPosted: 2006-12-05

Intergenerational Education Mobility among the Children of Canadian Immigrants

Statistics Canada

A 38-page Canadian paper analyzing the intergenerational educational mobility of Canadian men and women born to immigrants

Immigration & Refugees, EducationPosted: 2008-10-06

Has Higher Education Among Young Women Substantially Reduced the Gender Gap in Employment and Earnings?

Statistics Canada

A 26-page Canadian report examining the effect of higher education among women on the gender gap in employment and earnings

EducationPosted: 2007-06-19

Why Are Youth From Lower-Income Families Less Likely to Attend University?

Statistics Canada

This 38-page Canadian paper uses data on academic abilities, parental influences, financial constraints and other characteristics to try to account for the large gap in university attendance across the income distribution

Education, Social PolicyPosted: 2007-03-05

Education-to-Labour Market Pathways of Canadian Youth

Statistics Canada

This 80-page report examines the different pathways taken by Canadian youth from high school to regular participation in the labour market

Education, Employment, Industrial Relations & Training Posted: 2007-11-09

Preparing for Success in Canada and the United States

Statistics Canada

A 29-page Canadian research paper reviewing the recent research on the determinants of the educational attainment among the children of immigrants born in Canada and the United States, also known as the second generation. The focus is on the gap in educational attainment between the second and third-and-higher generations

Education, Immigration & RefugeesPosted: 2011-02-23

The Importance of Functional Literacy: Reading and Math Skills and Labour Market Outcomes of High School Dropouts

Statistics Canada

This 21-page study assesses the effect of literacy and numeracy skills on the labour market outcomes of Canadian high school dropouts

Education, Employment, Industrial Relations & Training Posted: 2006-04-12

Canadian Nine-year-olds at School

Statistics Canada

This 68-page report provides an overview of the school achievement of Canadian 9-year-old children in 2006/2007. The paper focuses on similarities and differences between girls and boys; between children from low-income and higher-income homes; between provinces; and, where relevant, between communities of different sizes. The report looks at the education environments of the children and at links between environment and achievement. It also examines the links between early school readiness indicators at age 5 and school achievement at age 9, when the children were in grade 3 and grade 4

Education, Families, Children & YouthPosted: 2009-09-28

The Returns to Schooling on Academic Performance: Evidence from Large Samples Around School Entry Cut-off Dates

Statistics Canada

A 35-page Canadian study estimating the effect of an additional year of schooling (Grade 10) on academic performance, with the particular aim of understanding the role of schooling in shaping the gender and income divides in academic performance.

EducationPosted: 2008-11-18

Differences in the Distribution of High School Achievement: The Role of Class Size and Time-in-Term

Statistics Canada

A 42-page Canadian research paper assessing the effect of differences in class size and time-in-term on educational outcomes in Canadian high schools

EducationPosted: 2005-12-05

Do Universities Benefit Local Youth?

Statistics Canada

A 30-page Canadian study exploring the relationship between the presence of a local university and university and college participation, and graduate earnings among local youth

EducationPosted: 2007-02-05

The High Price of Education Reform in Afghanistan

Stimson Center

A US article explaining how education has now become the locus of contention between religious and secular forces in Afghanistan

Education, Defence, Terrorism & SecurityPosted: 2009-03-14

Final Reading Outcomes of the National Randomized Field Trial of Success for All

Success for All Foundation

A paper reporting the final third-year outcomes of the national randomized evaluation of Success for All, a comprehensive reading reform model

EducationPosted: 2006-04-20

The National Randomized Field Trial of Success for All: Second-Year Outcomes

Success for All Foundation

A U.S. report on the second year outcomes of Success for All, a comprehensive reading reform model

EducationPosted: 2005-05-21

The Subtle Subversion: The State of Curricula and Textbooks in Pakistan

Sustainable Development Policy Institute

This 148-page report concludes that the curricula and official textbooks of Pakistan's schools contain material directly contrary to the goals of a progressive, moderate and democratic Pakistan

EducationPosted: 2004-03-03

The Effects of Teach for America on Students: Findings from a National Evaluation

Teach for America

An 82-page U.S. study examining the impact of Teach for America teachers on student achievement. TFA recruits seniors and recent graduates willing to to teach for a minimum of two years in low-income area schools and provides intensive training

EducationPosted: 2004-06-23

Standards for Advanced Teaching: A Review of National and International Developments

Teaching Australia

This 118-page Australian report reviews national and international developments in relation to advanced standards and certification processes for teaching

EducationPosted: 2006-09-06

Standards for School Leadership: A Critical Review of Literature

Teaching Australia

This 154-page Australian literature review maps recent and current developments in relation to standards for school leadership

EducationPosted: 2006-09-06

Teacher Education Accreditation: A Review of National and International Trends and Practices

Teaching Australia

A 103-page Australian literature review examining teacher accreditation practices in Australia and internationally

EducationPosted: 2006-09-06

National Professional Standards for Advanced Teaching and School Leadership

Teaching Australia

A 24-page Australian consultation document seeking feedback on proposals for a model of national professional standards for advanced teaching and school leadership, and how the standards should be developed, endorsed and reviewed

EducationPosted: 2007-05-16

Learning from the Future: New Perspectives on Leadership for the Teaching Profession

Teaching Australia

Papers and presentations from an Australian conference held to explore ways of shaping school leadership into the future and building leadership capacity in the teaching profession (single page linking to individual papers)

EducationPosted: 2007-12-01

Teach a Child - Transform a Nation

The Basic Education Coalition

This 43-page report reviews the worldwide situation of children denied an education and underlines the importance of such education in developing countries for the prevention of disease and conflict

Education, International DevelopmentPosted: 2004-05-06

Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practices in Europe

The Eurydice Network

This 92-page document focuses on the opportunities for under-qualified adults to complete basic education or achieve an upper secondary qualification and allowing for greater access to higher education for adults returning to the formal education system, in Europe

Education, European UnionPosted: 2011-03-10

Investing in Our Teachers, Investing in Our Economy

The Grattan Institute

A 22-page Australian paper arguing that improving teacher effectiveness would have a greater impact on economic growth than any other reform currently before government

EducationPosted: 2010-11-16

Designing for Learning: Online Social Networks as a Classroom Environment

The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning

This 26-page paper deploys notions of emergence, connections, and designs for learning to conceptualize high school students’ interactions when using online social media as a learning environment

EducationPosted: 2011-12-02

Designing for Learning: Online Social Networks as a Classroom Environment

The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning

A 26-page Australian article investigating the use of online social media as a learning environment

Education, Science & TechnologyPosted: 2011-12-02

Teaching at Risk: A Call to Action

The Teaching Commission

This 68-page report proposes a strategy to upgrade, fundamentally, the U.S. teaching profession. It includes recommendations for improving methods of recruitment, training, assessment, support and compensation

EducationPosted: 2004-02-08

Making Summer Count: How Summer Programs Can Boost Children's Learning,

The Wallace Foundation

This 118-page US study investigates ways of preventing low-income students from suffering large learning setbacks during summer vacations

Education, Social PolicyPosted: 2011-06-14

Do High Flyers Maintain Their Altitude?

Thomas B. Fordham Institute

This 27-page US study examines the performance of America's highest-achieving children over time and finds that many high-achieving students struggle to maintain their elite performance over the years and often fail to improve their reading ability at the same rate as their average and below-average classmates

Education, Families, Children & YouthPosted: 2011-09-27

How Much of the Variation in Literacy and Numeracy can be Explained by School Performance?

Treasury - Australia

This 16-page Australian article examines the impact of school performance on student reseults

EducationPosted: 2008-10-06

Governing the School of the Future

U.K. Department of Education and Skills

A 32-page U.K. document examining the role of the school governing body and looking to the challenges and opportunities for the future

EducationPosted: 2005-02-09

The Role of Education in Enhancing Life Chances and Preventing Offending

U.K. Home Office

A 30-page report bringing together the findings of a series of studies focusing on the role that education can play in promoting individual life chances and preventing offending by young people

Crime, Law & Order, EducationPosted: 2004-05-18

Work-related Learning: The Story So Far

U.K. Office for Standards in Education

A 20-page U.K. report examining the lessons to be learned from a survey of vocational education and training for 14 to 19 year olds in Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia

Education, Families, Children & YouthPosted: 2005-06-14

Toolkit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities

U.S. Department of Education

A US toolkit design to help educationalists to improve the teaching and testing of students with disabilities

Disability, EducationPosted: 2006-05-11

Single Sex Versus Coeducational Schooling: A Systematic Review

U.S. Department of Education

A 148-page U.S. report comparing student outcomes in single-sex and coeducational schools

EducationPosted: 2005-12-02

Head Start Impact Study Final Report: Executive Summary

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This 35-page executive summary of a US report into the Head Start programme finds that most gains in cognitive development fade out by first grade

Families, Children & Youth, EducationPosted: 2010-01-20

Innovations in Education: Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification

U.S. Depatment of Education

This 70-page U.S. publication provides concrete examples of innovations in providing alternative routes to teacher certification

EducationPosted: 2004-12-23

Education of Children with Autism

U.S. Government Accountability Office

This 40-page briefing paper examines the education of children with Autism in the U.S.

EducationPosted: 2005-02-16

What You Need to Know About Drug Testing in Schools

U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy

A 24-page U.S. document designed to shed light and offer perspective on drug testing in schools

Education, Drug AbusePosted: 2004-11-22

Educational Equity and Public Policy

UNESCO

This 161-page report presents a framework to measure education disparities and applies it to 16 of the world's largest/most populous countries

EducationPosted: 2007-03-02

Education For All Global Monitoring Report 2005: The Quality Imperative

UNESCO

This report examines the extent of progress made towards the global education goals adopted at the World Education Forum in 2000, with particular emphasis on quality of education (Single page with links to all chapters)

EducationPosted: 2004-12-06

EFA Global Monitoring Report 2009

UNESCO

A new report from UNESCO, monitoring progress towards universal education, argues that the failure of governments across the world to tackle deep and persistent inequalities in education is consigning millions of children to lives of poverty and diminished opportunity. The report identifies a range of policies to remedy extreme inequality

Education, Social PolicyPosted: 2008-12-04

Strong Foundations: Early Childhood Care and Education

UNESCO

A 405-page report on global progress to providing universal basic education, with particular focus on early childhood care and education

Education, Families, Children & YouthPosted: 2006-11-20

Global Education Digest 2008

UNESCO Institute for Statistics

This 297-page digest compares education statistics for more than 200 countries and territories

EducationPosted: 2009-02-20

Macedonia: Understanding History, Preventing Future Conflict

United States Institute of Peace

Report of a program organized to promote ethnic reconciliation among high school students and teachers in Macedonia

EducationPosted: 2004-03-04

Getting Past Go: Remedial and Developmental Education Policy at a Crossroads

University of Massachusetts

A 42-page US paper considering the nation's remedial and developmental education policy

EducationPosted: 2010-11-17

A Detailed Picture of Intergenerational Transmission of Human Capital

Urban Institute

This 30-page US analysis looks at how parental education relates to education, lifetime earnings, health, and wealth

Families, Children & Youth, EducationPosted: 2009-06-05

Teacher Credentials and Student Achievement in High School

Urban Institute

This 62-page US study examines the relationship between teacher credentials and student achievement at the high school level

EducationPosted: 2007-10-12

Promoting Economic Mobility by Increasing Postsecondary Education

Urban Institute

This 66-page US study reviews federal efforts to help low-income students attend college and recommends policies that would improve their academic preparation, provide more effective guidance on selecting and paying for college, and boost retention and graduation rates

EducationPosted: 2009-06-21

Gender Gaps in Reading Gains During Elementary and High School by Race and Ethnicity

Urban Institute

A 31-page US report examining gender differences in academic achievement in schools

EducationPosted: 2007-03-11

Early Care and Education for Children in Low Income Families

Urban Institute

This 58-page US report assesses the patterns of early care and education utilization by low income families in the US

Families, Children & Youth, EducationPosted: 2007-07-03

Leave No City Behind: England/United States Dialogue on Urban Education Reform

Urban Institute

This 6-page policy brief offers highlights of a dialogue between educators and policymakers from the U.K. and the U.S. held to discuss methods for improving school performance

EducationPosted: 2004-12-31

Looking Beyond Government: The Transfer of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Model Across States

Urban Institute

This 6-page policy brief examines how a successful program for improving early care and education in one U.S. state is being adopted by other states

Families, Children & Youth, EducationPosted: 2004-02-13

Impacts of a Summer Learning Program

Urban Institute

This 77-page US report assesses BELL, a summer programme designed to improve academic skills, parental involvement and social behaviour among low-inclome children and families

Education, Families, Children & YouthPosted: 2006-08-11

Adult Education and Workforce Development Can be Key Assets in Local Economic Development

Urban Institute

A US report highlighting findings about the role of adult education in workforce development and the use of sector strategies to address needs at the local level

Education, Employment, Industrial Relations & Training Posted: 2007-02-08

Improving Education and Employment for Disadvantaged Young Men: Proven and Promising Strategies

Urban Institute

This US report reviews strategies to improve educational attainment and employment among disadvantaged youth, particularly young men

Families, Children & Youth, EducationPosted: 2010-05-13

Can Teacher Quality be Effectively Assessed?

Urban Institute and University of Washington

This study investigated whether the voluntary NBTS certification in the U.S. resulted in higher student achievement in elementary schools

EducationPosted: 2004-03-10

Parental Education and Parental Time with Children

Vox

An article examining the implications of the relationship between parental education and time spent with children

Families, Children & Youth, EducationPosted: 2008-07-09

Education Leadership: An Agenda for School Improvement

Wallace Foundation

The repoort of a US conference held to discuss the importance of school principals and what could be done to strengthen and assist them

EducationPosted: 2010-05-17

Assessing the Effectiveness of School Leaders: New Directions and New Processes

Wallace Foundation

A 15-page US paper describing the elements of a possible new direction in school leader assessment – what should be assessed, and how

EducationPosted: 2009-03-10

Assessing the Effectiveness of School Leaders: New Directions and New Processes

Wallace Foundation

This 20-page US paper describes elements of a possible new direction in leader assessment – what should be assessed, and how. It highlights newly-developed assessment instruments that seek to apply those elements, and it discusses the potential, the challenges and the unknowns of using assessment as a key means of promoting not only better leader performance but also systemwide improvements that benefit children

EducationPosted: 2009-04-01

Learning from Leadership: Investigating the Links to Improved Student Learning

Wallace Foundation

A 338-page US study of school leadership provides evidence of principals’ significant effects on student achievement –and paints a detailed picture of what sound leadership from principals, other school staff members and district officials means

EducationPosted: 2010-07-25

AfterZone: Outcomes for Youth Participating in Providence’s Citywide After-School System

Wallace Foundation

A 109-page report on a US city's after-school initiative that produced educational benefits for participating students including improved school attendance and attitudes

Education, Families, Children & YouthPosted: 2011-08-24

The School Principal as Leader

Wallace Foundation

This 20-page US report describes five key practices of principals who focus on improving teaching and learning

EducationPosted: 2012-01-06

How Leadership Influences Student Learning

Wallace Foundation

A 17-page executive summary of a U.S. report investigating how education leadership matters, its effects on student learning, and what the essential ingredients of successful leadership are

EducationPosted: 2004-09-27

Preparing School Leaders for a Changing World

Wallace Foundation

The 28-page executive summary of a forthcoming US report describing successful programmes for providing high-quality training in school leadership

EducationPosted: 2007-04-28

Research Findings to Support Effective Educational Policymaking: Evidence and Action Steps for State, District and Local Policymakers

Wallace Foundation

This 11-page US report highlights a number of research findings and action steps drawn from policies and practices that have been shown to be critical to the success of educational reforms

EducationPosted: 2009-11-20

Standards Issue

Washington Monthly

A 4-page US article considering the interrelationship between standards in education and drop-out rates

EducationPosted: 2010-07-13

Small is Still Beautiful

Washington Monthly

A 3-page US article arguing the merits of smaller schools

EducationPosted: 2010-07-13

Exploring Young People's Views on Science Education

Wellcome Trust, NFER

This 68-page UK report aims to provide a deeper understanding of young people’s attitudes to science education, particularly regarding the value young people place on science education (for themselves as individuals and for society in general), as well as the key factors determining their continued engagement with formal and informal science education

Education, Science & TechnologyPosted: 2011-11-03

From Schooling Access to Learning Outcomes: An Unfinished Agenda

World Bank

A 152-page evaluation of World Bank support for primary education in developing countries

EducationPosted: 2006-08-28

Enhancing Accountability in Schools

World Bank

A 4-page brief exploring how some developing countries have tried to improve educational outcomes by introducing policies that emphasise choice, managerial autonomy and accountability

Education, International DevelopmentPosted: 2007-06-19

Getting Good Teachers into Challenging Schools

"Curriculum Leadership"

An Australian article on the problem of encouraging the best teachers to work in the most challenging schools

EducationPosted: 2008-05-15

School Readiness and Later Achievement

"Developmental Psychology"

This 12-page US paper reports on a meta analysis conducted to determine the key elements of school readiness and later learning achievement

EducationPosted: 2008-01-23

Poor Results for High Achievers: New Evidence on the Impact of Gifted and Talented Programs”

"Education Next"

Studies of two middle-school programs for high-achieving students — known as gifted and talented (G&T) programs — show that being placed in programmes with academically strong peers does not boost students’ achievement over and above what is learned in a regular classroom from the start of 6th grade to mid-way through 7th grade

EducationPosted: 2011-10-18

Neither Broad Nor Bold: A Narrow-minded Approach to School Reform

"Education Next"

A US critique of the theory that family income itself determines whether or not a child learns

EducationPosted: 2012-03-08

Open Doors or Prison Walls?

"Griffith Review"

This 10-page Australian article offers evidence that intervention, especially grounded in education, can improve opportunities for disadvantaged people

EducationPosted: 2006-03-15