Cover -- Title Page -- Contents -- Latin American Development Forum Series -- Other Titles in the Latin American Development Forum Series -- About the Authors -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- Introduction -- Introduction -- Progress and Challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean -- Scope of the Book -- References -- PART 1 The Central Role of Student Learning -- Introduction -- 1 Why Does Student Learning Matter? -- Introduction -- The Opportunity to Learn as a Human Right -- Effect of Learning on Individuals' Labor Market Outcomes -- Effect of Learning on Society as a Whole -- Effect of Learning on Economic Development -- Effect of Learning on Inequality -- Notes -- References -- 2 How Much Are Students in the Region Learning? -- Introduction -- Weak Average Performance on International Assessments -- Large Within-Country Differences in Performance -- Weak Performance by Students from Favorable Socioeconomic and Racial Backgrounds -- Notes -- References -- 3 Benefits and Challenges of Measuring Student Learning -- Introduction -- Translating Information on Student Performance into Better Learning Outcomes -- Challenges of Using Assessment Information to Raise Student Learning Outcomes -- How Is Performance Assessed? -- Measuring Institutional Capacity for Using Assessment Information -- Notes -- References -- PART 2 A Framework for Understanding Student Learning -- Introduction -- References -- 4 Economic, Political, and Social Conditions -- Introduction -- The Investment and Economic Environment -- Investment in Education -- Overall Economic Environment -- The Political Environment -- The Social Environment -- Notes -- References -- 5 Student Endowments and Behaviors -- Introduction -- What Do Students Bring with Them to School? -- Age of Entry into Primary School -- Preparation before Entering Primary School.

Access to Preprimary Schooling -- Health -- Language and Ethnicity -- How Do Parents and Families Support Education? -- Parents' Socioeconomic Status -- Books in the Home -- Policies Affecting Children's Endowments and Behaviors -- Preparation for Primary School -- Early Childhood Education -- Conditional Cash Transfers -- Notes -- References -- 6 School Endowments and Behaviors -- Introduction -- Which Factors and Policies Affect Teacher Effectiveness? -- Experience -- Salary Level and Structure -- Performance-Based Pay -- Nonmonetary Incentives -- Teacher Assignment -- Teacher Education and Professional Development -- Lessons from Policies Addressing Teachers and Teaching -- Design Teacher Incentives to Affect Most Teachers -- Link Incentives to Desired Outcomes -- Make Incentives Large Enough to Affect Teacher Behavior -- Ensure That All Schools Have Effective Teachers -- Improve and Evaluate Teacher-Education Programs -- Create a Profile of Teacher Competencies to Guide Teachers in their Learning and Facilitate Alignment of Teacher Education, Development, and Certification -- Treat Teacher Education as a Career-Long Process -- Understand the Value of Flexibility -- Recognize that New Teachers Need Special Support -- Integrate Teacher Education with School Development -- Promote Professional Learning Communities -- Evaluate Programs in a Systematic Manner -- Which School Characteristics Affect Student Learning? -- Textbooks and Facilities -- Information and Communication Technologies -- Time Spent in School and How It Is Used -- Class Size and Student-Teacher Ratios -- The Role of Schools in the Indigenous/Nonindigenous Achievement Gap -- Summary -- Lessons from Policies Addressing School Characteristics -- Ensure That All Schools Are Adequately Equipped to Foster Learning -- Guarantee That All Children Have Time and Resources to Learn in Schools.

Target Compensatory Programs Effectively to the Neediest Students and Schools -- Provide Special Support to Multigrade Schools -- Notes -- References -- 7 Organizational Factors and Policies -- Introduction -- Organizational Factors Affecting Student Learning -- Level of Decision-Making Authority -- Parental Participation -- School Choice/Vouchers -- Chile -- Colombia -- The United States -- Curriculum, Standards, and National Assessment -- Policies Affecting System Organization and Administration -- Technical Assistance and Finance Equalization -- Decentralization, School-Based Management, and Parental and Community Participation -- Per-Student Financing Programs -- Differences Between Private and Municipal Schools -- The Role of the State -- Support for Implementing Curricular Reforms -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- PART 3 Quality Assurance and Beyond -- Introduction -- 8 Instructional Visions and Institutions for Ensuring That All Students Learn -- Introduction -- Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Quality Assurance Systems -- Performance Standards -- Performance Assessments -- Performance Reporting -- Impact Evaluation of Policies and Programs -- Requirements to Operate -- Adequate and Equitable Resources -- Autonomy, Intervention, and Support -- Accountability and Consequences -- Quality Assurance Systems in Selected Countries -- Chile -- England, Wales, and Northern Ireland -- Finland -- Republic of Korea -- New Zealand -- Spain -- The United States: Boston, Massachusetts, and Houston, Texas -- Visions of Education Provision and Quality Assurance -- Limited State -- Quality Contracts -- Differentiated Instruction -- Managed Instruction -- Degree of Control and Diversity of Alternative Visions -- Notes -- References -- 9 Conclusion -- Introduction -- Which Policies Can Raise Student Learning? -- Prepare Students for Primary School.

Provide Conditional Cash Transfers -- Provide Merit Pay, Evaluate Teaching Policies, and Review the Assignment of Teachers to Schools -- Use Resources Effectively -- Give Schools More Autonomy -- Suggestions for Future Research -- Appendix 1: Description of International Assessments -- References -- Appendix 2: Proficiency Levels for 2003 PISA Mathematics -- Level 1 -- Level 2 -- Level 3 -- Level 4 -- Level 5 -- Level 6 -- Reference -- Appendix 3: Proficiency Levels for PISA 2000 and 2003 Reading -- Bibliography -- Further Reading -- Related Web Sites -- Index -- Back Cover.