The promise of large-scale learning assessments

The benefits and advantages of Large-scale learning assessments(LSLAs) have been extensively reviewed in specialized literature, and there is growing recognition of the potential of assessment data to inform policy in a variety of ways. As a result, increasingly higher expectations have been placed on LSLAs as drivers of policy change over the past few decades. They are indeed expected to serve a range of uses, including monitoring, accountability, agenda-setting and analysis. The potential of such tools reaches far beyond reporting purposes. They can provide insight into areas in need of improvement and help pinpoint the most appropriate, promising and effective policy interventions.

However, both national and cross-national learning assessments have raised some concerns. A growing volume of evidence calls attention to a range of unexpected and even negative effects resulting from such exercises. Drawing on a diverse body of evidence, including scholarly literature and the experience of a range of international organizations, development partners and assessment specialists, this publication reflects on the possible unintended consequences of LSLAs. Some concerns stem directly from the characteristics inherent to their design while others centre around the (mis)uses of data to inform agenda-setting and policy formulation.