Developing the Enabling Context for Student Assessment in Chile, Updated Edition

Developing a strong assessment system is a priority for many countries. But where should they start? This paper describes the journey experienced by Chile to develop the enabling context (policies, institutions, and human and fi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ramírez, María-José
Format: Working Paper
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/01/16716005/developing-enabling-context-student-assessment-chile
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17473
Description
Summary:Developing a strong assessment system is a priority for many countries. But where should they start? This paper describes the journey experienced by Chile to develop the enabling context (policies, institutions, and human and fiscal resources) for its large scale assessment program, its university entrance examinations, and classroom assessment activities. Countries aiming to develop their assessment system may draw valuable lessons from this case study, most importantly the following: (i) developing the right enabling context is a long term process that builds on gradual changes; (ii) stakeholders should be represented in the governance of the assessment unit; (iii) while different institutional arrangements are possible for an assessment unit, it is important that the unit is accountable and autonomous to make technical decisions; (iv) countries need to develop local capacity in assessment; and (v) countries need to anticipate the pressure the expansion of the education system will put in the assessment system, especially in the university entrance examinations. Countries that can benefit from these lessons will be in a better position to continue on the journey of strengthening their enabling context for an effective assessment system.