The reliability of evidence on progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal is examined together with the limits that apply when findings inform consequential decisions.
Evidence relevant to progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal
For progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal, the instrument should be used to identify the intended direction, the actors addressed and the implementation measures that remain necessary.
For comparative analysis, where an indicator is used as a proxy, the relationship between the proxy and the underlying educational outcome should be stated and tested. For progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal, oversight requires a traceable line from the approved objective through responsible action to evidence of outcome.
The principal risks in relation to the analysis are variation across sites or programmes, policy detached from practice, corrective action closed on activity rather than effect, and learner experience omitted from review. In the context of progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal, a weakness in one part of the control environment may obscure a related failure elsewhere.
The analysis proceeds on the basis that an average may improve while a material group experiences no improvement or a worse outcome. For progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal, disaggregation should follow a defined public-interest question and should protect confidentiality where small numbers could identify individuals.
Relevant evidence for the analysis will normally include approved objectives and responsibilities, representative outcome information, exception and complaint records, implementation and monitoring records, and verified corrective action. The record for progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal should retain disagreement between sources until its cause and effect are understood.
Application to progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal
The analysis of progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal should remain within the limits of the evidence. In this case, quality cannot be inferred from reputation, intention or documentation alone. Across the defined scope, if uncertainty could change a consequential decision, additional evidence or a narrower conclusion is required.
The assurance record for progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal should retain the date of the evidence, the source responsible for it, the scope examined and the version of any instrument or definition applied.
- Act on adverse findings.
- Review whether improvement is sustained, identifying the accountable function and affected scope.
- Identify the affected scope before it is relied on for a decision with material effect.
- Define the intended outcome.
- Collect proportionate evidence.
Controls for progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal
Implementation of progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal can be tested without imposing unnecessary reporting. In this case, the reviewer should examine results by relevant learner, programme, location and delivery characteristics; compare both levels and rates of change; and test whether observed gaps persist after differences in coverage and prior conditions are considered.
The analytical record for progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal should state the research question, data source, unit of analysis, reference period, coverage, exclusions, treatment of missing values and principal limitations.
- Which groups are concealed by the aggregate?
- Which disparity requires action first?
- Could missing data be unequal?
- Are sample sizes adequate?
- Are group definitions stable?
Review of progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal
Agreements governing progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal should allocate information exchange, incident escalation, learner communication, record custody and corrective authority.
For the available evidence, the public interest is not confined to institutional compliance. Across the defined scope, quality assurance should connect stated educational purposes with implemented controls, reliable evidence and action where outcomes fall below expectation.
For progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal, no individual measure is sufficient to establish effective operation of the measure across the affected scope. A conclusion concerning progress against the proposed post-2015 education goal should be revised when stronger evidence materially changes the assessment of implementation, outcome or risk.