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On the stability of value added indicators

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Abstract

This paper shows how relevant concepts in educational effectiveness can support public policy in order to improve the performance of educational systems. Specifically, value-added indicators and the property of their stability over time is addressed with reference to application to school/teacher improvement. Findings of a longitudinal study developed in Portugal concerning primary education in mathematics are presented. Variance component models are fitted in order to obtain those indicators yearly to class-school units. Results of this study reveal that value-added indicators can be a useful instrument for progressive improvement in education, particularly in countries with high rates of student retention and evasion. The novelty of this paper is to measure value added over a single year rather than all stage of schooling that refers to more than 1 year.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Matemática, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6200-001, Covilhã, Portugal

    Maria Eugénia Ferrão

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  1. Maria Eugénia Ferrão
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Correspondence to Maria Eugénia Ferrão.

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Ferrão, M.E. On the stability of value added indicators. Qual Quant 46, 627–637 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-010-9417-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-010-9417-6

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