Papers by ilana umansky
The World Bank Research Observer, 2007
comprises 2 issues. Prices include postage: for subscribers outside the Americas, issues are sent... more comprises 2 issues. Prices include postage: for subscribers outside the Americas, issues are sent air freight.
© 2005 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW... more © 2005 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 Telephone 202-173-1000 Internet www. worldbank. org E-mail feedback@ worldbank. org All rights reserved. 1 2 3 4 08 07 06 05 The findings, ...
Umansky, I., Reardon, S., Hakuta, K., Thompson, K., Estrada, P., Hayes, K, Maldonado, H., Tandber... more Umansky, I., Reardon, S., Hakuta, K., Thompson, K., Estrada, P., Hayes, K, Maldonado, H., Tandberg, S., Goldenberg, C. (2015).
World Bank Research Observer, 2007
Despite decentralization reforms of education systems worldwide, there is little empirical eviden... more Despite decentralization reforms of education systems worldwide, there is little empirical evidence about the processes through which decentralization can improve student learning. Proponents theorize that devolving decisionmaking authority to the local level can improve communication, transparency, and accountability, making teachers and school principals more responsible for better performance and more capable of bringing it about. Yet some research has shown that decentralization can increase inequality and reduce learning for disadvantaged students. This article reports on retrospective evaluations of three Central American school-based management reforms. Using matching techniques, these evaluations investigate whether the reforms enhanced student learning and how they affected management processes and teacher characteristics and behaviors. The evidence indicates that all three reforms resulted in substantive changes in management and teacher characteristics and behavior and that these changes explain significant portions of resultant changes in student learning. This article contributes to the understanding of how decentralization reforms can improve learning and shows how education reforms, even when not conceptualized as affecting teacher incentives, can generate important changes for teachers that, in turn, affect student learning. JEL codes: I21, I28, H52, H75.
PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2000
... In response, governments empowered communities to manage schools, including the authority to ... more ... In response, governments empowered communities to manage schools, including the authority to hire ... 17 In August 2004, the Chilean Congress passed a teacher evaluation law whereby if ... a promising option to improve teacher quality and student learning, they do not operate ...
Research Briefs by ilana umansky
Recent policy changes in California’s education system have opened up a unique opportunity to imp... more Recent policy changes in California’s education system have opened up a unique opportunity to improve educational opportunities for the state’s 1.4 million English learner students (ELs). The implementation of new state standards including new English Language Development standards will require major changes in teaching and learning for all students including ELs, while the Local Control Funding Formula gives districts that educate large numbers of ELs additional resources to improve the services that they provide. To take full advantage of these opportunities policymakers and educators should rely on the best available evidence to shape state and district policies and to inform classroom instructional practice for EL students. In this policy brief the authors review research findings from three university school district research partnerships and present recommendations for changes in policy and practice to expand opportunities for EL students. They draw three main conclusions. First, California must improve the ways in which students who need language supports are classified and reclassified, in order to improve alignment across districts in the state, and alignment between classification and services. Second, state and local officials must become more systematic in how data on ELs are collected and used, by tracking students’ progress over longer time periods and by including all students who were ever ELs in accountability metrics. Finally, and most importantly, the state must improve ELs’ educational opportunities in school by expanding access to core content, bilingual instruction, and well-prepared teachers. Changes along these lines would not necessarily require large new investments, but they could yield substantial benefits for large numbers of California students.
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Papers by ilana umansky
Research Briefs by ilana umansky