The work of producing this report on school effectiveness research in developing countries was funded by the ODA and an extract of the terms of reference is at Appendix A. It must be said that in the current state of knowledge it does not seem possible to meet the objectives of the terms of reference with a high degree of precision. While much is known about the factors which influence pupil attainment, and there is an increasing body of research evidence on school effectiveness, there is still much to be learnt. Whereas it is important for decision makers to be aware of the evidence which exists, policy formulation still requires a considerable degree of judgement, taking account of a wide range of contextual factors.
The report takes the form of a literature review, and presents evidence and findings from empirical studies and synthetic reviews which between them cover a wide range of contexts and of topics relating to school effectiveness. In the limited time available for writing the report it has been necessary to be selective, and I should be grateful to know of any major omissions in the literature cited. In any case, in view of the importance of research in this field for education aid policy, it is desirable for the report to be updated continually as more evidence becomes available.
The body of the report is arranged in seven sections. The introduction discusses the need for effective schools, and the concepts of effectiveness, efficiency and quality, with a note on the methodology of school effectiveness research. Section 2 presents evidence on a range of specific interventions: multigrade schools, preprimary education, school physical facilities, interactive radio instruction, textbooks and materials, and health. The third section looks at some curriculum and assessment issues: the relation of curriculum content to economic growth, vocational education, and examination reform. In section 4, factors influencing teacher effectiveness are considered. Section 5 presents evidence from general studies and reviews of school effectiveness in developing countries. In section 6 some relevant research from developed countries is summarised. Finally, section 7 is devoted to policy implications.
