Advancing Education Measurement for SDG 4.1.1(a): Improving Assessment Tools, Methods, and Reporting

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) has been the custodian agency for most indicators related to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 since the establishment of the SDGs. SDG 4.1, in particular, has garnered significant attention and funding from international agencies and countries due to its widespread prioritization. However, measuring learning achievement in early grades, as indicated by SDG 4.1.1(a) for reading and mathematics proficiency by the end of grades 2 and 3, presents technical and financial challenges. The lack of prior experience and internationally comparable measurements in this area has made it difficult to ensure comparability.

To address these measurement difficulties, UIS has taken a leading role in technical development through initiatives like the Global Alliance to Monitor Learning (GAML) and the Technical Cooperation Group (TCG) for SDG 4 indicators. These efforts have focused on enhancing various aspects of measurement, with a particular emphasis on improving comparability. SDG 4.1.1(a) specifically aims to measure minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics at lower grade levels, and it faces more technical challenges compared to measuring proficiency at higher grade levels. This indicator is crucial, as it is often used to determine learning poverty, assessing students' inability to read simple texts and perform arithmetic at an age-appropriate level. Therefore, it is important to develop measurement tools for SDG 4.1.1(a) that are practical, rigorous, and facilitate reporting and long-term tracking.

Given the urgency and opportunities arising from commitments such as the Transformation Education Summit, the Global Foundational Learning Coalition, and the Learning Data Compact, there is a need for swift and decisive action. This panel aims to introduce improved assessment tools and policy linking methods (Author et al., 2019) for measuring and reporting SDG 4.1.1(a).

Aligned with the third sub-theme of CIES 2024 on theories, methodologies, and protest, particularly focusing on compliance in education, the panel will cover the following topics: 1) features and psychometric properties of the Assessment for Minimum Proficiency Levels (AMPL(a)) used for SDG 4.1.1(a) reporting, 2) new modules and tools to better measure reading comprehension, 3) review of technical effort to data and upcoming plans, and 4) review of existing foundational literacy assessments and implications for countries to report on SDG 4.1.1(a).

By sharing these advancements and insights, the panel aims to contribute to the field of education measurement and reporting, supporting countries' efforts to track progress and improve learning outcomes in early grades, while also addressing the challenges posed by protests in education.
The panel will present findings through four papers.

1. Expanding and Building Ownership of Learning Assessment Tools: Assessment of minimum proficiency level (AMPL) The paper will present the Assessment of Monitoring Learning (AMPL) module that produces internationally comparable learning outcomes data to report SDG4.1.1(a).

2. Aligning Measurement with Purpose: USAID’s Revised Approach to Measuring Learning Outcomes. The paper will present new foundational literacy modules and tasks to help differentiate floor effects and better measure comprehension and a decision tree that will help countries to identify the right assessments and modules for their context and purpose.

3. The Coalition for Foundational Learning’s Approach to Measurement. The paper will provide a review of technical efforts to date under the Coalition for Foundational Learning with leadership of UIS and share upcoming plans.

4. Do all assessment instruments qualify for SDG 4.1.1(a) reporting? What is way forward? The paper will explore and analyze the foundational literacy assessments commonly used in various educational systems and their suitability for reporting on SDG 4.1.1(a).

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Organizer

• Abdullah A Ferdous, American Institutes for Research

Chair

• Abdullah A Ferdous, American Institutes for Research

Individual Presentations

• Aligning Measurement with Purpose: USAID’s Revised Approach to Measuring Learning Outcomes - Hetal Thukral, DDI Center for Education, United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Melissa M Chiappetta, USAID

• Do all assessment instruments qualify for SDG 4.1.1(a) reporting? What is way forward? - Abdullah A Ferdous, American Institutes for Research

• The Coalition for Foundational Learning’s Approach to Measurement - Clio Dintilhac, BMGF

Discussant

• Sakshi Mishra, UNICEF