2011年-世界发展银行全球_Is_Optimization_an_Opportunity__An_Assessment_of_the_Impact_of_Class_Size_and_School_Size_on_the_Performance_of_Ukrainian_Secondary_Schools_78页_2mb

Summary of "Is Optimization an Opportunity?" - An Assessment of the Impact of Class Size and School Size on the Performance of Ukrainian Secondary Schools

Core Content

This working paper investigates the impact of school size and class size on the performance of Ukrainian secondary schools, using data from the External Independent Test (EIT) and inputs from the Ukrainian Ministry of Education. The study is part of a broader policy discussion on school network optimization in Ukraine, which is driven by demographic and financial challenges.

Main Viewpoints

1. School Size and Performance

• Larger schools tend to have better performance, both in terms of test scores and test participation.
• The effect is relatively small, especially in rural areas where the estimates are likely more accurate.
• School size is found to be a more significant determinant of performance than class size in the context of transition countries like Ukraine.

2. Class Size and Performance

• Class size is found to be insignificant in most specifications.
• When significant, the effect is negligible.
• In some studies, smaller class sizes have shown positive effects, but these are not consistently observed in Ukraine.

3. Demographic and Financial Context

• Ukraine has experienced a substantial decline in the number of students due to the demographic crisis.
• The number of students fell by 40% since independence, while the number of schools only dropped by 7% and the number of teachers by 4%.
• As a result, school sizes have decreased, leading to a disproportionate number of small schools.
• Schools with less than 100 students are planned to be closed as part of the optimization strategy.

4. Policy Implications

• The Ukrainian government is considering school network optimization as a key reform.
• Consolidating schools is seen as a way to reduce budgetary burden and reinvest savings into improving educational quality.
• The paper serves as a policy input to support these decisions.

Key Information

1. Educational System Overview

• Public schools make up 99% of general secondary education (GSE) institutions.
• In the 2009/2010 school year, there were 20,368 general secondary schools.
• Level I schools (grades 1-4): 2,177 schools, many with less than 10 students.
• Level I-II schools (grades 1-9): 5,397 schools, many with less than 40 students.
• Level I-III schools (grades 1-12): 12,312 schools, many with less than 100 students.
• Small schools are predominantly located in rural areas, accounting for 19.2% of the total school population.

2. EIT Performance and Participation

• The EIT is taken only by upper secondary education graduates (grades 11-12).
• The test does not cover all graduates, missing around 40% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas.
• Participation rates in EIT have declined over the years:
  • 2009: 84% of graduates participated in Ukrainian language and literature.
  • 2010: 78% of graduates participated in Ukrainian language and literature.
• Participation in other subjects is lower, with English having the lowest participation.

3. Trends in School and Class Sizes

• The average school size dropped by one-third from 326.8 students in 1990/1991 to 211.8 students in 2010/2011.
• Urban schools have seen a more dramatic decline in size, with a 50% drop in the number of students.
• Class sizes have also steadily decreased, reaching 18.1 students per class in 2010.
• Urban areas have larger class sizes than rural areas.

4. Data and Methodology

• The study uses a comprehensive dataset combining school input data from the Ministry of Education and performance data from the EIT.
• The dataset includes information on student scores, class sizes, and school sizes.
• The analysis is stratified by urban and rural areas and by school type to ensure accurate estimation of size effects.

5. Policy Relevance

• The findings support the need for school network optimization in Ukraine.
• The current dataset allows for a more detailed analysis than previous studies, including gender and type of settlement.
• The paper is intended to inform policy discussions on school consolidation and resource allocation.

Policy Conclusions

• School size has a positive effect on educational performance, though the magnitude is small.
• Class size is insignificant in most cases, suggesting that reducing class sizes may not be the most effective policy for improving performance.
• Optimization of the school network could lead to cost savings and more efficient use of resources.
• School size appears to be a more important factor in educational performance in transition countries.
• Further country-specific studies are needed to understand the nuances of size effects in different contexts.