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Key Policy Areas for Student Assessment Status

1. Classroom Assessment Samoa’s ‘Making Assessment Work: Classroom Assessment Manual’ provides guidelines for classroom assessment activities and their uses. There are also official documents that specify what students are expected to learn in different subject areas and years, and teachers are provided with a variety of training opportunities to ensure they develop competencies in classroom assessment. Overall, classroom assessment practices in Samoa are perceived as being of moderate quality. Consistent feedback on student learning and performance is provided to the students and their parents through school report cards which must be disseminated at least twice per year.

2. Examinations The Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate examination is administered annually to Year 13 students in English and optional subjects. While government resources constitute the most significant source of funding for the examination, students are required to pay a small examination fee. There are some formal mechanisms in place to ensure the quality of the examination, including the ‘Examination, Assessment, and Certification: Rules and Procedures’ document, which provides standardized instructions for examination administration and data processing.

3. National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA) The Samoa Primary Education Literacy Level (SPELL) assessment was first introduced in 1993 and has been implemented every year since then to all students in Years 4 and 6 in Samoan, English, and Numeracy. Although there is no policy document pertaining to SPELL, the National Exam Calendar specifies the timing of future assessment rounds, as well as the subject areas and year levels to be assessed. National results and information are disseminated through an annual SPELL report and a Statistical Digest. Results are used to track the impact of reforms on student achievement levels and to inform curriculum improvement, teacher training programs, and resource allocation.

4. International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA) In 2012, Samoa took part in the Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) for the first time. Fourteen countries in the Pacific region participated. Minimal quality problems were identified with the carrying out of PILNA in Samoa. The country complied with all technical standards required for the exercise, and therefore it is expected that the country’s results will be presented in the main section of the PILNA international report.

Samoa

STUDENT ASSESSMENT SABER Country Report

2014

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SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2

Introduction Samoa has focused on increasing student learning outcomes by improving the quality of education in the country. An effective student assessment system is an important component of efforts to improve education quality and learning outcomes because it provides the necessary information to meet stakeholders’ decision-making needs. In order to gain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of its existing assessment system, Samoa decided to benchmark this system using standardized tools developed under The World Bank’s Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) program. SABER is an evidence-based program to help countries systematically examine and strengthen the performance of different aspects of their education systems.

What is SABER-Student Assessment? SABER-Student Assessment is a component of the SABER program that focuses specifically on benchmarking student assessment policies and systems. The goal of SABER-Student Assessment is to promote stronger assessment systems that contribute to improved education quality and learning for all. National governments and international agencies are increasingly recognizing the key role that assessment of student learning plays in an effective education system. The importance of assessment is linked to its role in: (i) providing information on levels of student

learning and achievement in the system; (ii) monitoring trends in education quality over

time; (iii) supporting educators and students with real-

time information to improve teaching and learning; and

(iv) holding stakeholders accountable for results.

SABER-Student Assessment methodology The SABER-Student Assessment framework is built on the available evidence base for what an effective assessment system looks like. The framework provides guidance on how countries can build more effective student assessment systems. The framework is structured around two main dimensions of assessment systems: the types/purposes of assessment activities and the quality of those activities. Assessment types and purposes Assessment systems tend to be comprised of three main types of assessment activities, each of which serves a different purpose and addresses different information needs. These three main types are: classroom assessment, examinations, and large-scale, system level assessments. Classroom assessment provides real-time information to support ongoing teaching and learning in individual classrooms. Classroom assessments use a variety of formats, including observation, questioning, and paper-and-pencil tests, to evaluate student learning, generally on a daily basis. Examinations provide a basis for selecting or certifying students as they move from one level of the education system to the next (or into the workforce). All eligible students are tested on an annual basis (or more often if the system allows for repeat testing). Examinations cover the main subject areas in the curriculum and usually involve essays and multiple-choice questions. Large-scale, system-level assessments provide feedback on the overall performance of the education system at particular grades or age levels. These assessments typically cover a few subjects on a regular basis (such as every 3 to 5 years), are often sample based, and use multiple-choice and short-answer formats. They may be national or international in scope. Appendix 1 summarizes the key features of these main types of assessment activities.

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Quality drivers of an assessment system The key considerations when evaluating a student assessment system are the individual and combined quality of assessment activities in terms of the adequacy of the information generated to support decision making. There are three main drivers of information quality in an assessment system: enabling context, system alignment, and assessment quality. Enabling context refers to the broader context in which the assessment activity takes place and the extent to which that context is conducive to, or supportive of, the assessment. It covers issues such as the legislative or policy framework for assessment activities; institutional and organizational structures for designing, carrying out, or using results from the assessment; the availability of sufficient and stable sources of funding; and the presence of trained assessment staff. System alignment refers to the extent to which the assessment is aligned with the rest of the education system. This includes the degree of congruence between assessment activities and system learning goals, standards, curriculum, and pre- and in-service teacher training. Assessment quality refers to the psychometric quality of the instruments, processes, and procedures for the assessment activity. It covers issues such as design and implementation of assessment activities, analysis and interpretation of student responses to those activities, and the appropriateness of how assessment results are reported and used. Crossing the quality drivers with the different assessment types/purposes provides the framework and broad indicator areas shown in Table 1. This framework is a starting point for identifying indicators that can be used to review assessment systems and plan for their improvement.

Table 1: Framework for building an effective assessment system, with indicator areas

The indicators are identified based on a combination of criteria, including: professional standards for assessment; empirical research on the characteristics of effective

assessment systems, including analysis of the characteristics that differentiate between the assessment systems of low- versus high-performing nations; and

theory — that is, general consensus among experts that it contributes to effective assessment.

Levels of development The World Bank has developed a set of standardized questionnaires and rubrics for collecting and evaluating data on the three assessment types and related quality drivers. The questionnaires are used to collect data on the characteristics of the assessment system in a particular country. The information from the questionnaires is then applied to the rubrics in order to judge the development level of the country’s assessment system in different areas. The basic structure of the rubrics for evaluating data collected using the standardized questionnaires is summarized in Appendix 2. The goal of the rubrics is to provide a country with some sense of the development level of its assessment activities compared to best or

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recommended practice in each area. For each indicator, the rubric displays four development levels—Latent, Emerging, Established, and Advanced. These levels are artificially constructed categories chosen to represent key stages on the underlying continuum for each indicator. Each level is accompanied by a description of what performance on the indicator looks like at that level. Latent is the lowest level of performance; it

represents absence of, or deviation from, the desired attribute.

Emerging is the next level; it represents partial presence of the attribute.

Established represents the acceptable minimum standard.

Advanced represents the ideal or current best practice.

A summary of the development levels for each assessment type is presented in Appendix 3. In reality, assessment systems are likely to be at different levels of development in different areas. For example, a system may be Established in the area of examinations, but Emerging in the area of large-scale, system-level assessment, and vice versa. While intuition suggests that it is probably better to be further along in as many areas as possible, the evidence is unclear as to whether it is necessary to be functioning at Advanced levels in all areas. Therefore, one might view the Established level as a desirable minimum outcome to achieve in all areas, but only aspire beyond that in those areas that most contribute to the national vision or priorities for education. In line with these considerations, the ratings generated by the rubrics are not meant to be additive across assessment types (that is, they are not meant to be added to create an overall rating for an assessment system; they are only meant to produce an overall rating for each assessment type). The methodology for assigning development levels is summarized in Appendix 4.

Education in Samoa

Samoa is a lower middle-income Pacific island country located in East Asia. GDP per capita is $3,620, with annual growth of approximately 3 percent in 2012. Between 1990 and 2008, Samoa’s economy demonstrated strong growth and macro-economic stability, as compared to other similarly situated small-island economies in both the Pacific and Caribbean regions. In 2009, the economy of Samoa contracted by over 5 percent, in large part due to a devastating tsunami and the global economic crisis.

Despite these shocks, Samoa is still on track to meet several key Millennium Development Goals, including achieving universal primary education. This is a reflection of the island’s strong policy performance and service delivery capacity.

Primary education in Samoa covers an eight-year cycle and is compulsory for children between the years of five and fourteen. As in many other Pacific island countries, there are three methods of provision of primary and secondary education in Samoa: the Government, in partnership with village-based school committees; mission schools; and private schools. In 2012, the net primary school enrolment ratio was 93 percent and the adult literacy rate was 99 percent.

However, the quality of education remains a concern; approximately 50 percent of Year 6 children were assessed and identified as “at risk” for poor outcomes in English literacy and numeracy. In order to address education challenges, the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture (MESC) developed the Strategic Policies and Plan for 2006-2015, which identified 18 key policy areas, including the expansion of Early Childhood Development services, the revision and development of curriculum for primary and secondary education, and the support of teacher education and training.

Detailed information was collected on Samoa’s student assessment system using the SABER-Student Assessment questionnaires and rubrics. It is important to remember that these tools primarily focus on benchmarking a country’s policies and arrangements for assessment activities at the system or macro level. Additional data would need to be collected to determine actual, on-the-

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ground practices in Samoa, particularly by teachers and students in schools. The following sections discuss the findings by each assessment type, accompanied by suggested policy options. The suggested policy options were determined in collaboration with key local stakeholders based on Samoa’s immediate interests and needs. Detailed, completed rubrics for each assessment type in Samoa are provided in Appendix 5.

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Classroom Assessment Level of development

The Making Assessment Work: Classroom Assessment Manual was authorized by the MESC in 2011. This document provides the framework for classroom assessment and its use in Samoa. The document is divided into three sections: (i) A Guide to Assessment Literacy; (ii) Best Practices for Classroom Assessment; and (iii) Classroom Assessment Techniques. While the MESC establishes the framework for classroom assessment in Samoa, individual schools have the authority and responsibility to design and implement classroom assessment activities. For both primary and secondary education, official documents that specify what students are expected to learn in different subjects in different years, and to what level of performance, are available to teachers. In addition, at the secondary level, the Teacher Development Series documents provide teachers with guidelines, practical resources, practice assessment materials, professional development support, and rubrics and scoring guidelines for each subject. In order to ensure that teachers develop competencies in classroom assessment, Samoa offers courses on classroom assessment as part of pre- and in-service teacher training. In particular, pre-service teacher training includes two courses that address classroom assessment topics: (i) Assessment Techniques and Training Strategies and (ii) Primary Teacher and Classroom Assessment. In addition, online training resources are available to teachers through the MESC’s website under the “Teaching Resources” link. However, many teachers cannot access the online training resources as they have limited connectivity to the internet. Teachers are also encouraged to participate in national, regional, and international workshops on classroom assessment topics, although participation is dependent upon the availability of funding. Overall, classroom assessment practices in Samoa are perceived as being of moderate quality. Parents tend to be well informed about their children’s grades and

classroom assessment activities provide useful feedback to students. However, most classroom assessments only include multiple-choice or selection type questions and are mainly about recalling information. While classroom assessment practices are usually aligned with the curriculum framework, teachers do not use explicit criteria for scoring students’ work. In Samoa, classroom assessment is required to be used in diagnosing student learning issues, providing feedback to students on their learning, informing parents about their child's learning, planning the next steps in instruction, grading students for internal classroom uses, providing input for student selection or certification, and informing teachers on specific areas where support is required. The Samoa National School Assessment Policy Framework and the National Curriculum Policy Framework both state that schools are required to report on individual student performance to parents, students, school committees (which are tasked with developing the three-year School Improvement Plans that establish the strategic vision for the school), and other educational institutions. Student performance and progress in various subject areas must be reported to students and parents in informal meetings or in school report cards (which must be disseminated at least twice per year). Schools are not required to report on individual student performance to school district or MESC officials. Suggested policy options 1. Ensure the systematic availability of a variety of resources to help teachers engage in classroom assessment activities at both the primary and secondary levels. For example, develop item banks and online classroom assessment resources specific to supporting classroom assessment activities and ensure that these resources are accessible to all teachers. Additionally, create easy-to-use and readily-available criteria that teachers can use to score students’ work at the primary level. Introduce training resources that expose teachers to methodologies (such as essays, open-ended questions, and observation of practical activities) for assessing students’ knowledge and higher-order thinking skills.

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2. Introduce additional, formal, country-level mechanisms to monitor and support the improved quality of classroom assessment practices. For example, commission a national review of education in Samoa that includes a component on the quality of classroom assessment and recommendations for how to improve it. 3. Require schools to report classroom assessment information to key stakeholders, including MESC officials. Introduce a schedule at the ministry level to which schools must adhere in communicating assessment results to key stakeholders.

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Examinations Level of development

The Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate examination has been carried out since 1989. Until 2012, it was called the Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate. The Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate examination is administered annually to Year 13 students in English and optional subjects, including Samoan, History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Accounting, Economics, Agricultural Science, Computer Studies, Geography, Food and Textiles, Design Technology, Physical Education and Health, Arts, and Music. The Samoa National School Assessment Policy Framework document, authorized in 2010 by the MESC, authorizes the Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate. The MESC, which consists of a permanent body of stakeholders, provides leadership for the examination. Regular funding for the examination is allocated at the discretion of the government. Government resources constitute the most significant source of funding for the examination. In addition, students are required to pay a small fee for taking the examination. Funding covers examination design, administration, and data analysis. The annual budget of the Curriculum, Materials, and Assessment Division (CMAD) of MESC covers staff salaries, research and development, and data reporting. The country offers some opportunities to learn about the Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate examination. For example, courses on assessment in pre-service teacher training discuss the examinations used in Samoa, including the Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate examination. In addition, the MESC hosts annual workshops for Year 12 and Year 13 teachers, which include topics relevant for the examination. Comprehensive materials to prepare for the Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate examination, such as examples of the types of questions that are on the examination and information on how to prepare for the examination, are available and accessible to all students. The framework document explaining what is measured

on the examination is also available. After the examination is administered, an examiner report is prepared and distributed to schools. There are some formal mechanisms in place to ensure the quality of the examination. For example, all proctors and administrators are trained according to a protocol. In addition, the Examination, Assessment, and Certification: Rules and Procedures document provides standardized instructions for the administration and data processing of the examination. Double data scoring and double processing of data also takes place. Students who do not perform well on the examination may opt for less selective schools or repeat the year. If students decide to repeat the school year, they can take the examination again at the end of that school year. Part IV of the Examination, Assessment, and Certification: Rule and Procedures document highlights compassionate consideration for students who have suffered from a temporary illness, non permanent disability, or an extraneous event close to or during external assessment that they believe significantly impaired their performance on the assessment.

Suggested policy options

1. Allocate additional funding to CMAD to allow it to put in place an adequate number of staff to carry out the examination. 2. Introduce a variety of formal, system-level mechanisms to ensure the quality of the examination. For example, conduct a pilot before the main data collection takes place. Additionally, introduce external review or observers, and an external certification or audit.

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National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA) Level of development

The Samoa Primary Education Literacy Level (SPELL) assessment was first introduced in 1993 and has been implemented every year to all students in Years 4 and 6. The assessment is administered to monitor education quality at the country level; support schools and teachers; hold government or political authorities accountable; and inform policy design, evaluation, and decision making. The assessment covers Samoan, English, and Numeracy. Although there is no stand-alone policy document pertaining to SPELL, the assessment is referenced in the National School Assessment Policy Framework. The National Exam Calendar also specifies the timing of future assessment rounds, as well as subject areas and years to be assessed. Regular funding for SPELL is allocated through the MESC's examination budget. CMAD, which is part of MESC, has been in charge of SPELL since 1993. CMAD is nationally recognized as the authority on student assessment. There are courses in pre-service teacher training on assessment which cover assessments administered in the country. In addition, the MESC hosts workshops on SPELL for Years 4 and Year 6 teachers and principals. These opportunities are available to CMAD employees and assessment specialists, School Review Officers, university students, and school principals and teachers. Accommodations or alternative assessments are provided for students with disabilities. For example, SPELL is administered at special schools to students with vision and hearing impairments. In addition, specific plans are made to ensure that SPELL is administered to students in hard-to-reach parts of Samoa. The assessment is also offered in the language of instruction for almost all student groups. There are some formal mechanisms in place to ensure the quality of SPELL. These mechanisms include a

standardized manual for SPELL administrators, double data scoring, double processing of data, and internal reviewers. SPELL results are disseminated through an annual SPELL report and a Statistical Digest (which is available online). Both the report and the Statistical Digest are also sent to schools and are available at the MESC office. In addition, results are presented during teacher and principal workshops. Results from SPELL are used to track the impact of reforms on student achievement levels. In addition, results are used to inform curriculum improvement, teacher training programs, resource allocation, and other assessment activities in the system. There are some formal mechanisms in place to monitor SPELL, such as expert review groups and a Literacy Task Force. In addition, there is funding for independent research on SPELL. At the same time, the teacher and principal workshops provide an opportunity to monitor SPELL on an annual basis and gauge efficacy in terms of impact, acceptability, and credibility.

Suggested policy options 1. Introduce a formal policy document that provides authorization for SPELL and make it publicly available online. 2. Ensure a variety of opportunities to key stakeholders to learn more about SPELL. For example, establish internships or short-term employment opportunities in assessment units, such as CMAD, as a way to develop local expertise for carrying out SPELL.

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International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA) Level of development

In 2012, Samoa took part in the Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) for the first time. In total, 14 countries in the Pacific region participated. There is no national policy document that addresses Samoa’s participation in ILSAs. However, in 2006, the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA, now known as the Education Quality and Assessment Programme, or EQAP), a regional body to which Samoa belongs, received a mandate from the Pacific Forum Education Ministers Meeting (FEdMM) to develop PILNA. Funding for PILNA was allocated by the Australian Aid Programme and EQAP, and covered most core activities, including implementation of the assessment, and processing and analysis of the collected data. In addition, funding covered national reporting and dissemination of assessment results as well as attendance at international meetings. A National Coordinator was appointed to implement PILNA. In addition, a School Coordinator was identified to manage administration at the school level for the selected schools. Test Supervisors (teachers) administered the assessment at the classroom level in the selected schools. For each assessment area, literacy and numeracy, a panel was responsible for marking the papers. Although the 2012 PILNA was the first time that the PILNA team in Samoa was in charge of an ILSA, there were minimal problems in carrying out the assessment. While there were some delays in data processing and scoring, these were largely due to Cyclone Evan, which struck in December 2012. The MESC held presentations on the PILNA for ILSA team members and assessment specialists. Key personnel also participated in workshops organized by EQAP for all PILNA-participating countries. In addition, EQAP provided in-country training on scoring the test items to the selected panel of markers. The PILNA was sufficiently aligned with Samoa’s learning goals. Classroom lessons, textbooks, and learning

resources cover content similar to, and slightly more advanced than, the content covered by PILNA. As a result, students had extensive previous exposure to the type of content and skills measured by PILNA. Samoa complied with all technical standards for PILNA. Therefore, it is expected that the country’s results will be presented in the main section of the international report. Suggested policy options 1. Ensure appropriate institutional support for PILNA by introducing a formal, country-level policy document that addresses Samoa’s participation in ILSAs. 2. Increase the capacity of individuals involved in carrying out key PILNA activities as well as of assessment specialists, university teachers and students, and other educators. For example, organize workshops or meetings on using PILNA databases and analyzing assessment results.

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Appendix 1: Assessment Types and Their Key Differences

Classroom Large-scale assessment Surveys

Examinations

National International Exit Entrance Purpose

To provide immediate feedback to inform classroom instruction

To provide feedback on overall health of the system at particular grade/age level(s), and to monitor trends in learning

To provide feedback on the comparative performance of the education system at particular grade/age level(s)

To certify students as they move from one level of the education system to the next (or into the workforce)

To select students for further educational opportunities

Frequency Daily For individual subjects offered on a regular basis (such as every 3-5 years)

For individual subjects offered on a regular basis (such as every 3-5 years)

Annually and more often where the system allows for repeats

Annually and more often where the system allows for repeats

Who is tested?

All students Sample or census of students at a particular grade or age level(s)

A sample of students at a particular grade or age level(s)

All eligible students

All eligible students

Format Varies from observation to questioning to paper-and-pencil tests to student performances

Usually multiple choice and short answer

Usually multiple choice and short answer

Usually essay and multiple choice

Usually essay and multiple choice

Coverage of curriculum

All subject areas Generally confined to a few subjects

Generally confined to one or two subjects

Covers main subject areas

Covers main subject areas

Additional information collected from students?

Yes, as part of the teaching process

Frequently Yes Seldom Seldom

Scoring Usually informal and simple

Varies from simple to more statistically sophisticated techniques

Usually involves statistically sophisticated techniques

Varies from simple to more statistically sophisticated techniques

Varies from simple to more statistically sophisticated techniques

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Appendix 2: Basic Structure of Rubrics for Evaluating Data Collected on a Student Assessment System

Dimension

Development Level

LATENT (Absence of, or deviation from,

attribute)

EMERGING (On way to meeting minimum standard)

ESTABLISHED (Acceptable

minimum standard)

ADVANCED (Best practice) Justification

EC—ENABLING CONTEXT

EC1—Policies

EC2—Leadership, public engagement

EC3—Funding

EC4—Institutional arrangements

EC5—Human resources

SA—SYSTEM ALIGNMENT

SA1—Learning/quality goals

SA2—Curriculum

SA3—Pre-, in-service teacher training

AQ—ASSESSMENT QUALITY

AQ1—Ensuring quality (design, administration, analysis)

AQ2—Ensuring effective uses

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Appendix 3: Summary of the Development Levels for Each Assessment Type

Assessment Type LATENT EMERGING ESTABLISHED

ADVANCED

Absence of, or deviation from, the attribute

On way to meeting minimum standard

Acceptable minimum standard

Best practice

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT

There is no system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.

There is weak system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.

There is sufficient system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.

There is strong system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.

EXAMINATIONS

There is no standardized examination in place for key decisions.

There is a partially stable standardized examination in place, and a need to develop institutional capacity to run the examination. The examination typically is of poor quality and is perceived as unfair or corrupt.

There is a stable standardized examination in place. There is institutional capacity and some limited mechanisms to monitor it. The examination is of acceptable quality and is perceived as fair for most students and free from corruption.

There is a stable standardized examination in place and institutional capacity and strong mechanisms to monitor it. The examination is of high quality and is perceived as fair and free from corruption.

NATIONAL (OR SYSTEM-LEVEL) LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT

There is no NLSA in place.

There is an unstable NLSA in place and a need to develop institutional capacity to run the NLSA. Assessment quality and impact are weak.

There is a stable NLSA in place. There is institutional capacity and some limited mechanisms to monitor it. The NLSA is of moderate quality and its information is disseminated, but not always used in effective ways.

There is a stable NLSA in place and institutional capacity and strong mechanisms to monitor it. The NLSA is of high quality and its information is effectively used to improve education.

INTERNATIONAL LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT

There is neither a history of participation in an ILSA nor plans to participate in one.

Participation in an ILSA has been initiated, but there still is need to develop institutional capacity to carry out the ILSA.

There is more or less stable participation in an ILSA. There is institutional capacity to carry out the ILSA. The information from the ILSA is disseminated, but not always used in effective ways.

There is stable participation in an ILSA and institutional capacity to run the ILSA. The information from the ILSA is effectively used to improve education.

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Appendix 4: Methodology for Assigning Development Levels 1. The country team or consultant collects information about the assessment system in the country. 2. Based on the collected information, a level of development and score is assigned to each dimension in the rubrics:

Latent = 1 score point Emerging = 2 score points Established = 3 score points Advanced = 4 score points

3. The score for each quality driver is computed by aggregating the scores for each of its constituent dimensions. For example: The quality driver, ‘Enabling Context,’ in the case of ILSA, has 3 dimensions on which a hypothetical country receives the following scores: Dimension A = 2 points; Dimension B = 2 points; Dimension C = 3 points. The hypothetical country’s overall score for this quality driver would be: (2+2+3)/3 = 2.33 4. A preliminary level of development is assigned to each quality driver. 5. The preliminary development level is validated using expert judgment in cooperation with the country team and The World Bank Task Team Leader. For scores that allow a margin of discretion (i.e., to choose between two levels of development), a final decision has to be made based on expert judgment. For example, the aforementioned hypothetical country has an ‘Enabling Context’ score of 2.33, corresponding to a preliminary level of development of ‘Emerging or Established.’ Based on qualitative information not captured in the rubric, along with expert judgment, the country team chooses ‘Emerging’ as the most appropriate level.

6. Scores for certain key dimensions under ‘Enabling Context’ (in the case of EXAM, NLSA, and ILSA) and under ‘System Alignment’ (in the case of CLASS) were set as ceiling scores, i.e., the overall mean score for the particular assessment type cannot be greater than the score for these key dimensions. These key variables include formal policy, regular funding, having a permanent assessment unit, and the quality of assessment practices.

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ENT

O

vera

ll po

licy

and

reso

urce

fram

ewor

k w

ithin

whi

ch cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent a

ctiv

ity ta

kes p

lace

in a

coun

try

or sy

stem

, and

the

degr

ee to

whi

ch cl

assr

oom

as

sess

men

t act

ivity

is co

here

nt w

ith o

ther

com

pone

nts o

f the

edu

catio

n sy

stem

. LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT A

ND

SYS

TEM

ALI

GNM

ENT

1:

Sett

ing

clea

r gu

idel

ines

for

clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t Th

ere

is no

coun

try-

leve

l doc

umen

t tha

t pr

ovid

es g

uide

lines

for c

lass

room

as

sess

men

t.

Ther

e is

an in

form

al o

r dra

ft co

untr

y-le

vel d

ocum

ent t

hat p

rovi

des g

uide

lines

fo

r cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t.

Ther

e is

a fo

rmal

coun

try-

leve

l doc

umen

t th

at p

rovi

des g

uide

lines

for c

lass

room

as

sess

men

t, bu

t the

doc

umen

t is n

ot

avai

labl

e on

line

to a

nybo

dy in

tere

sted

.

Ther

e is

a fo

rmal

coun

try-

leve

l doc

umen

t th

at p

rovi

des g

uide

lines

for c

lass

room

as

sess

men

t, pu

blicl

y av

aila

ble

onlin

e to

an

ybod

y in

tere

sted

.1

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT A

ND

SYS

TEM

ALI

GNM

ENT

2:

Alig

ning

clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t with

cou

ntry

lear

ning

goa

ls

Ther

e ar

e no

coun

try-

wid

e re

sour

ces f

or

teac

hers

for c

lass

room

ass

essm

ent.

Th

ere

are

very

few

coun

try-

wid

e re

sour

ces f

or te

ache

rs fo

r cla

ssro

om

asse

ssm

ent.

Ther

e ar

e so

me

coun

try-

wid

e re

sour

ces

for t

each

ers f

or cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent.2

Ther

e ar

e a

varie

ty o

f cou

ntry

-wid

e re

sour

ces f

or te

ache

rs fo

r cla

ssro

om

asse

ssm

ent.

Ther

e is

no o

fficia

l cur

ricul

um o

r st

anda

rds d

ocum

ent.

Th

ere

is an

offi

cial c

urric

ulum

or

stan

dard

s doc

umen

t, bu

t it i

s not

clea

r w

hat s

tude

nts a

re e

xpec

ted

to le

arn.

Ther

e is

an o

fficia

l cur

ricul

um o

r st

anda

rds d

ocum

ent t

hat s

pecif

ies w

hat

stud

ents

are

exp

ecte

d to

lear

n, b

ut th

e de

sired

leve

l of p

erfo

rman

ce is

not

clea

r.

Ther

e is

an o

fficia

l cur

ricul

um o

r st

anda

rds d

ocum

ent t

hat s

pecif

ies w

hat

stud

ents

are

exp

ecte

d to

lear

n an

d th

e de

sired

leve

l of p

erfo

rman

ce.3

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT A

ND

SYS

TEM

ALI

GNM

ENT

3:

Hav

ing

effe

ctiv

e hu

man

res

ourc

es to

carr

y ou

t cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es

Ther

e ar

e no

form

al co

untr

y-le

vel

mec

hani

sms t

o en

sure

that

teac

hers

de

velo

p co

mpe

tenc

ies i

n cla

ssro

om

asse

ssm

ent.

Ther

e ar

e ve

ry m

inim

al fo

rmal

coun

try-

leve

l mec

hani

sms t

o en

sure

that

te

ache

rs d

evel

op co

mpe

tenc

ies i

n cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t.

Ther

e ar

e so

me

form

al co

untr

y-le

vel

mec

hani

sms t

o en

sure

that

teac

hers

de

velo

p co

mpe

tenc

ies i

n cla

ssro

om

asse

ssm

ent.

Ther

e ar

e a

varie

ty o

f for

mal

cou

ntry

-le

vel m

echa

nism

s to

ensu

re th

at

teac

hers

dev

elop

com

pete

ncie

s in

class

room

ass

essm

ent.4

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

18

AS

SESS

MEN

T Q

UAL

ITY

Qua

lity

of cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent d

esig

n, a

dmin

istra

tion,

ana

lysis

and

use

. LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 1:

En

suri

ng th

e qu

alit

y of

clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t Cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent p

ract

ices

are

ver

y w

eak,

or t

here

is n

o in

form

atio

n av

aila

ble

on cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent

prac

tices

.

Clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t pra

ctic

es a

re

know

n to

be

wea

k.

Clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t pra

ctic

es a

re

know

n to

be

of m

oder

ate

qual

ity. 5

Clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t pra

ctic

es a

re

know

n to

be

of h

igh

qual

ity.

Ther

e ar

e no

form

al co

untr

y-le

vel

mec

hani

sms t

o m

onito

r the

qua

lity

of

class

room

ass

essm

ent p

ract

ices .

Ther

e ar

e m

inim

al fo

rmal

coun

try-

leve

l m

echa

nism

s to

mon

itor t

he q

ualit

y of

cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t pra

ctice

s.6

Ther

e ar

e so

me

form

al co

untr

y-le

vel

mec

hani

sms t

o m

onito

r the

qua

lity

of

class

room

ass

essm

ent p

ract

ices.

Ther

e ar

e va

ried

form

al co

untr

y-le

vel

mec

hani

sms t

o m

onito

r the

qua

lity

of

class

room

ass

essm

ent p

ract

ices.

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QUA

LITY

2:

Ensu

ring

effe

ctiv

e us

es o

f cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t Th

ere

are

no re

quire

d us

es o

f cla

ssro

om

asse

ssm

ent.

Ther

e ar

e m

inim

al re

quire

d us

es o

f cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t. Th

ere

are

varie

d re

quire

d us

es o

f cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t. Th

ere

are

varie

d re

quire

d us

es o

f cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t, in

cludi

ng it

s use

as

an

inpu

t for

sele

ctio

n or

cert

ifica

tion.

7

Scho

ols a

re n

ot re

quire

d to

repo

rt

info

rmat

ion

on in

divi

dual

stud

ent

perfo

rman

ce.

At le

ast s

ome

scho

ols a

re re

quire

d to

re

port

info

rmat

ion

on in

divi

dual

stud

ent

perfo

rman

ce.

All s

choo

ls ar

e re

quire

d to

repo

rt

info

rmat

ion

on in

divi

dual

stud

ent

perfo

rman

ce to

par

ents

.8

All s

choo

ls ar

e re

quire

d to

repo

rt

info

rmat

ion

on in

divi

dual

stud

ent

perfo

rman

ce to

par

ents

and

oth

er k

ey

stak

ehol

ders

. In

form

atio

n on

stud

ent p

erfo

rman

ce is

no

t req

uire

d to

be

repo

rted

. M

inim

al in

form

atio

n on

stud

ent

perfo

rman

ce is

requ

ired

to b

e re

port

ed.

Som

e in

form

atio

n on

stud

ent

perfo

rman

ce is

requ

ired

to b

e re

port

ed

in sc

hool

repo

rt ca

rds.

A va

riety

of i

nfor

mat

ion

abou

t stu

dent

pe

rform

ance

is re

quire

d to

be

repo

rted

in

scho

ol re

port

card

s.9

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

19

Clas

sroo

m A

sses

smen

t: Developmen

t-level rating j

ustifications

1. In

Sam

oa, t

he M

inist

ry o

f Edu

catio

n, S

port

, and

Cul

ture

(MES

C) e

stab

lishe

s the

fram

ewor

k fo

r cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t, w

hich

is a

ligne

d w

ith th

e Sa

moa

Nat

iona

l As

sess

men

t Pol

icy F

ram

ewor

k an

d th

e Na

tiona

l Cur

ricul

um P

olicy

Fra

mew

ork.

The

Mak

ing

Asse

ssm

ent W

ork:

Cla

ssro

om A

sses

smen

t Man

ual d

ocum

ent,

auth

orize

d in

Mar

ch 2

011

by th

e M

ESC,

pro

vide

s the

fram

ewor

k an

d a

com

preh

ensiv

e ov

ervi

ew o

f cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t use

in S

amoa

. The

doc

umen

t, w

hich

co

ntai

ns th

ree

sect

ions

, Gui

de to

Ass

essm

ent L

itera

cy; B

est P

ract

ices f

or C

lass

room

Ass

essm

ent;

and

Clas

sroo

m A

sses

smen

t Tec

hniq

ues,

is pu

blicl

y av

aila

ble

and

diss

emin

ated

to a

ll sc

hool

s. W

hile

the

MES

C es

tabl

ishes

the

fram

ewor

k fo

r cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t in

the

coun

try,

scho

ols h

ave

the

auth

ority

and

resp

onsib

ility

to

desig

n an

d im

plem

ent c

lass

room

ass

essm

ent.

2.

Doc

umen

ts th

at o

utlin

e st

uden

t lea

rnin

g an

d pe

rform

ance

exp

ecta

tions

by

year

and

subj

ect a

re a

vaila

ble

to te

ache

rs in

Sam

oa. F

or e

xam

ple,

the

Sam

oa

Prim

ary

Scho

ol C

urric

ulum

doc

umen

ts a

rticu

late

the

stra

nds,

achi

evem

ent o

bjec

tives

, lea

rnin

g ou

tcom

es, a

nd k

ey id

eas f

or e

ach

year

in e

ach

subj

ect a

rea

for

Year

s 1 th

roug

h 8.

Sim

ilarly

, the

Sam

oa S

econ

dary

Sch

ool C

urric

ulum

doc

umen

ts a

re a

vaila

ble

for e

ach

subj

ect a

rea

and

are

com

plem

ente

d by

the

Teac

her

Deve

lopm

ent S

erie

s doc

umen

ts w

hich

pro

vide

teac

hers

with

gui

delin

es, p

ract

ical r

esou

rces

, pra

ctice

ass

essm

ent m

ater

ials,

and

pro

fess

iona

l dev

elop

men

t su

ppor

t. In

add

ition

, at t

he se

cond

ary

leve

l, th

e Te

ache

r Dev

elop

men

t Ser

ies i

nclu

des r

ubric

s and

scor

ing

guid

elin

es fo

r eac

h su

bjec

t. Te

xtbo

oks o

r wor

kboo

ks

are

also

ava

ilabl

e to

teac

hers

to p

rovi

de su

ppor

t for

clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t at t

he se

cond

ary

leve

l, an

d co

mpu

ter-

base

d te

stin

g is

avai

labl

e at

the

seco

ndar

y le

vel

in co

mpu

ter s

tudi

es co

urse

s. Ho

wev

er, i

tem

ban

ks a

nd o

nlin

e as

sess

men

t res

ourc

es sp

ecifi

c to

supp

ortin

g cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es a

re n

ot a

vaila

ble

to

teac

hers

.

3. A

n of

ficia

l cur

ricul

um o

r sta

ndar

ds d

ocum

ent s

pecif

ies w

hat s

tude

nts a

re e

xpec

ted

to le

arn

and

the

desir

ed le

vel o

f per

form

ance

for e

ach

subj

ect a

rea

at th

e pr

imar

y an

d se

cond

ary

leve

ls.

4. A

var

iety

of f

orm

al le

vel m

echa

nism

s are

in p

lace

to e

nsur

e th

at te

ache

rs d

evel

op co

mpe

tenc

ies i

n cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t. Fo

r exa

mpl

e, p

re- a

nd in

-ser

vice

te

ache

r tra

inin

g ad

dres

s com

pete

ncie

s in

class

room

ass

essm

ent.

Ther

e ar

e tw

o sp

ecifi

c cou

rses

that

add

ress

clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t in

pre-

serv

ice tr

aini

ng:

(i)

Asse

ssm

ent T

echn

ique

s and

Tra

inin

g St

rate

gies

and

(ii)

Prim

ary

Teac

her a

nd C

lass

room

Ass

essm

ent (

only

ava

ilabl

e at

the

prim

ary

leve

l). In

add

ition

, whi

le th

ere

are

som

e on

line

reso

urce

s for

teac

hers

on

the

MES

C "T

each

ing

Reso

urce

s Lin

k Lis

t” w

ebpa

ge, t

he in

form

atio

n pr

ovid

ed is

not

spec

ific t

o cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t. Fu

rthe

r, m

any

teac

hers

cann

ot a

cces

s the

onl

ine

trai

ning

reso

urce

s as t

hey

have

lim

ited

conn

ectiv

ity to

the

inte

rnet

. How

ever

, dep

endi

ng o

n av

aila

ble

reso

urce

s, th

e M

ESC

affo

rds t

each

ers t

he o

ppor

tuni

ty to

par

ticip

ate

in n

atio

nal,

regi

onal

, and

inte

rnat

iona

l wor

ksho

ps o

n to

pics

inclu

ding

clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t. Al

so, t

each

ers h

ave

oppo

rtun

ities

to p

artic

ipat

e in

item

dev

elop

men

t or s

corin

g of

test

que

stio

ns fo

r lar

ge-s

cale

ass

essm

ents

or e

xam

s, an

d sc

hool

insp

ectio

n or

te

ache

r sup

ervi

sion

inclu

des a

com

pone

nt fo

cuse

d on

clas

sroo

m a

sses

smen

t.

5. C

lass

room

ass

essm

ent p

ract

ices a

re k

now

n to

be

of m

oder

ate

qual

ity. F

or e

xam

ple,

the

use

of m

ultip

le-c

hoice

/sel

ectio

n ty

pe q

uest

ions

is v

ery

com

mon

. It i

s al

so co

mm

on fo

r cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es to

be

mai

nly

abou

t rec

allin

g in

form

atio

n an

d fo

r tea

cher

s to

not u

se e

xplic

it or

a p

riori

crite

ria fo

r sco

ring

or

grad

ing

stud

ents

' wor

k. H

owev

er, i

t is r

are

that

par

ents

are

poo

rly in

form

ed a

bout

stud

ents

' gra

des a

nd th

at cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent a

ctiv

ities

pro

vide

litt

le u

sefu

l fe

edba

ck to

stud

ents

. It i

s also

rare

for c

lass

room

ass

essm

ent a

ctiv

ities

to b

e m

ainl

y us

ed a

s adm

inist

rativ

e or

cont

rol t

ools

rath

er th

an a

s a p

edag

ogica

l res

ourc

e an

d to

not

be

alig

ned

with

a p

edag

ogica

l or c

urric

ular

fram

ewor

k.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

20

6. C

lass

room

ass

essm

ent i

s a re

quire

d co

mpo

nent

of a

teac

her's

per

form

ance

eva

luat

ion

and

scho

ol in

spec

tion

or te

ache

r sup

ervi

sion.

At t

he sc

hool

leve

l, th

e he

ad te

ache

r is r

espo

nsib

le fo

r eva

luat

ing

othe

r tea

cher

s, in

cludi

ng o

n th

eir u

se o

f cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t. In

add

ition

, the

Sch

ool R

evie

w O

ffice

r spo

t-che

cks

class

room

ass

essm

ent i

n ea

ch sc

hool

at t

he d

istric

t lev

el. A

lso, t

he M

onito

ring

and

Eval

uatio

n Un

it w

ithin

the

MES

C is

a ce

ntra

l lev

el a

utho

rity

who

se p

rimar

y fo

cus i

s to

revi

ew cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent f

or e

ach

teac

her a

t the

prim

ary

and

seco

ndar

y le

vel.

Gove

rnm

ent f

undi

ng a

lloca

ted

tow

ards

edu

catio

n re

sear

ch a

t the

disc

retio

n of

the

MES

C is

avai

labl

e fo

r res

earc

h on

the

qual

ity o

f cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t ac

tiviti

es a

nd h

ow to

impr

ove

class

room

ass

essm

ent.

How

ever

, oth

er m

echa

nism

s, su

ch a

s an

exte

rnal

mod

erat

ion

syst

em th

at re

view

s the

diff

iculty

of

class

room

ass

essm

ent a

ctiv

ities

and

app

ropr

iate

ness

of s

corin

g cr

iteria

or n

atio

nal r

evie

ws o

f the

qua

lity

of e

duca

tion

whi

ch in

clude

a fo

cus o

n cla

ssro

om

asse

ssm

ent a

re n

ot a

vaila

ble

in S

amoa

. 7.

In S

amoa

, cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t is r

equi

red

to b

e us

ed in

dia

gnos

ing

stud

ent l

earn

ing

issue

s, pr

ovid

ing

feed

back

to st

uden

ts o

n th

eir l

earn

ing,

info

rmin

g pa

rent

s abo

ut th

eir c

hild

's le

arni

ng, p

lann

ing

next

step

s in

inst

ruct

ion,

gra

ding

stud

ents

for i

nter

nal c

lass

room

use

s, pr

ovid

ing

inpu

t for

sele

ctio

n or

cert

ifica

tion,

an

d in

form

ing

teac

hers

on

spec

ific a

reas

of s

uppo

rt re

quire

d.

8. T

he S

amoa

Nat

iona

l Sch

ool A

sses

smen

t Pol

icy F

ram

ewor

k an

d th

e Na

tiona

l Cur

ricul

um P

olicy

Fra

mew

ork

both

stat

e th

at sc

hool

s are

requ

ired

to re

port

on

indi

vidu

al st

uden

t per

form

ance

to p

aren

ts, s

tude

nts,

scho

ol co

mm

ittee

s (w

hich

are

task

ed w

ith d

evel

opin

g th

e th

ree-

year

Sch

ool I

mpr

ovem

ent P

lans

that

es

tabl

ish th

e st

rate

gic v

ision

for t

he sc

hool

), an

d ot

her e

duca

tiona

l ins

titut

ions

, suc

h as

the

seco

ndar

y an

d te

rtia

ry sc

hool

s tha

t stu

dent

s att

end.

How

ever

, sc

hool

s are

not

requ

ired

to re

port

on

indi

vidu

al st

uden

t per

form

ance

to sc

hool

dist

rict o

r MES

C of

ficia

ls.

9. In

add

ition

to st

uden

t per

form

ance

or g

rade

s in

Mat

hem

atics

, Lan

guag

e, a

nd o

ther

are

as, s

tude

nt p

erfo

rman

ce o

r gra

des r

elat

ive

to o

ther

stud

ents

and

st

uden

t pro

gres

s in

perfo

rman

ce a

re re

quire

d to

be

repo

rted

. Thi

s inf

orm

atio

n is

requ

ired

to b

e re

port

ed to

stud

ents

and

par

ents

in in

form

al m

eetin

gs o

r in

scho

ol re

port

card

s (w

hich

mus

t be

diss

emin

ated

at l

east

twice

per

yea

r).

SAM

OA

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T

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BER

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TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

21

SAM

OA

Exam

inat

ions

SAM

OA

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ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

22

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT

Ove

rall

fram

ewor

k of

pol

icies

, lea

ders

hip,

inst

itutio

nal a

rran

gem

ents

, fisc

al a

nd h

uman

reso

urce

s in

whi

ch th

e as

sess

men

t act

ivity

take

s pla

ce in

a co

untr

y, a

nd

the

exte

nt to

whi

ch th

at fr

amew

ork

is di

rect

ly co

nduc

ive

to, o

r sup

port

ive

of, t

he a

sses

smen

t act

ivity

. LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 1

:

Sett

ing

clea

r po

licie

s for

the

exam

inat

ion

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion.

Th

e ex

amin

atio

n ha

s bee

n op

erat

ing

on

an ir

regu

lar b

asis.

Th

e ex

amin

atio

n ha

s bee

n op

erat

ing

regu

larly

. 1

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

is n

o po

licy

pert

aini

ng to

the

exam

inat

ion.

Ther

e is

an in

form

al o

r dra

ft po

licy

that

au

thor

izes t

he e

xam

inat

ion;

or t

here

is a

fo

rmal

pol

icy th

at is

not

ava

ilabl

e.

Ther

e is

a fo

rmal

pol

icy th

at a

utho

rizes

th

e ex

amin

atio

n, a

vaila

ble

upon

requ

est

or w

ith re

stric

ted

acce

ss.

Ther

e is

a fo

rmal

pol

icy th

at a

utho

rizes

th

e ex

amin

atio

n, p

ublic

ly a

vaila

ble

onlin

e to

any

one

inte

rest

ed.2

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

he

exam

inat

ion

is no

t sta

ndar

dize

d.

The

exam

inat

ion

is at

mos

t par

tially

st

anda

rdize

d at

the

coun

try

leve

l, or

has

m

inim

um p

roce

dure

s in

plac

e to

ens

ure

stan

dard

izatio

n.

The

exam

inat

ion

is at

leas

t par

tially

st

anda

rdize

d at

the

coun

try

leve

l, w

ith a

t le

ast s

ome

proc

edur

es in

pla

ce to

ens

ure

stan

dard

izatio

n.

The

exam

inat

ion

is fu

lly st

anda

rdize

d at

th

e co

untr

y le

vel,

and

a va

riety

of

proc

edur

es a

re in

pla

ce to

ens

ure

stan

dard

izatio

n.3

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 2

: H

avin

g le

ader

ship

for

the

exam

inat

ion

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

he co

untr

y do

es n

ot h

ave

lead

ersh

ip fo

r the

ex

amin

atio

n.

The

coun

try

has w

eak

lead

ersh

ip fo

r the

ex

amin

atio

n.

The

coun

try

has s

tron

g le

ader

ship

for t

he

exam

inat

ion,

from

an

indi

vidu

al p

erso

n or

from

a st

akeh

olde

r bod

y.

The

coun

try

has s

tron

g le

ader

ship

for

the

exam

inat

ion

from

bot

h an

indi

vidu

al

pers

on a

nd a

per

man

ent s

take

hold

er

body

.4

(C

ONT

INUE

D)

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

23

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 3

: H

avin

g re

gula

r fu

ndin

g fo

r th

e ex

amin

atio

n Th

ere

is no

exa

min

atio

n, o

r the

re is

no

fund

ing

allo

cate

d fo

r the

exa

min

atio

n.

Ther

e is

irreg

ular

fund

ing

for t

he

exam

inat

ion,

or t

he fu

ndin

g is

not

allo

cate

d by

law

or r

egul

atio

n.5

Ther

e is

a re

gula

r fun

ding

for t

he

exam

inat

ion

that

is a

lloca

ted

by la

w o

r re

gula

tion.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

is n

o fu

ndin

g co

min

g fro

m th

e go

vern

men

t, st

uden

t fee

s, or

don

ors.

The

fund

ing

for t

he e

xam

inat

ion

com

es

prim

arily

from

don

ors o

r loa

ns.

The

fund

ing

for t

he e

xam

inat

ion

com

es

prim

arily

from

the

gove

rnm

ent o

r st

uden

t fee

s.6

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

is n

o fu

ndin

g to

cove

r act

iviti

es.

Ther

e is

fund

ing

to co

ver a

t lea

st so

me

of

the

core

act

iviti

es.

Ther

e is

fund

ing

to co

ver a

ll or

mos

t cor

e ac

tiviti

es. 7

Th

ere

is fu

ndin

g to

cove

r all

core

ac

tiviti

es, p

lus r

esea

rch

and

deve

lopm

ent.

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 4

: H

avin

g in

stitu

tiona

l cap

acit

y fo

r th

e ex

amin

atio

n Th

ere

is no

exa

min

atio

n, o

r the

re is

no

exam

inat

ion

unit.

Th

ere

is a

tem

pora

ry u

nit,

or a

uni

t with

m

inim

um e

xper

ienc

e, in

char

ge o

f the

ex

amin

atio

n.

Ther

e is

a pe

rman

ent u

nit w

ith so

me

expe

rienc

e in

char

ge o

f the

ex

amin

atio

n.8

Ther

e is

a pe

rman

ent u

nit w

ith v

ast

expe

rienc

e in

char

ge o

f the

exa

min

atio

n.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or i

t is n

ot cl

ear

to w

hich

bod

y th

e ex

amin

atio

n un

it is

acco

unta

ble.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Th

e ex

amin

atio

n un

it is

acc

ount

able

to a

cle

arly

reco

gnize

d bo

dy.9

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

he

exam

inat

ion

unit

does

not

hav

e fa

ciliti

es

to ca

rry

out t

he e

xam

inat

ion.

The

exam

inat

ion

unit

has o

nly

a fe

w o

f th

e re

quire

d fa

ciliti

es to

carr

y ou

t the

ex

amin

atio

n.

The

exam

inat

ion

unit

has a

ll of

the

requ

ired

facil

ities

to ca

rry

out t

he

exam

inat

ion.

10

The

exam

inat

ion

unit

has u

p-to

-dat

e ve

rsio

ns o

f all

requ

ired

faci

litie

s to

carr

y ou

t the

exa

min

atio

n.

(CO

NTIN

UED)

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

24

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 5

:

Hav

ing

hum

an r

esou

rces

for

the

exam

inat

ion

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

is n

o st

aff a

lloca

ted

to th

e ex

amin

atio

n un

it.

The

exam

inat

ion

unit

has a

n in

adeq

uate

nu

mbe

r of s

taff

to ca

rry

out t

he

exam

inat

ion.

11

The

exam

inat

ion

unit

has a

n ad

equa

te

num

ber o

f sta

ff to

carr

y ou

t the

ex

amin

atio

n, w

ith so

me

qual

ity

prob

lem

s.

The

exam

inat

ion

unit

has a

n ad

equa

te

num

ber o

f sta

ff to

carr

y ou

t the

ex

amin

atio

n, w

ith n

o qu

ality

pro

blem

s.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

he co

untr

y of

fers

no

annu

al o

ppor

tuni

ties t

o le

arn

abou

t the

exa

min

atio

ns.

The

coun

try

offe

rs v

ery

few

ann

ual

oppo

rtun

ities

to le

arn

abou

t the

ex

amin

atio

ns.

The

coun

try

offe

rs so

me

annu

al

oppo

rtun

ities

to le

arn

abou

t ex

amin

atio

ns to

the

exam

inat

ion

staf

f. 12

The

coun

try

offe

rs a

wid

e ra

nge

of

annu

al o

ppor

tuni

ties t

o le

arn

abou

t ex

amin

atio

ns. T

hese

opp

ortu

nitie

s are

av

aila

ble

to a

bro

ad a

udie

nce,

inclu

ding

th

e ex

amin

atio

n st

aff.

The

re is

no

exam

inat

ion,

or t

each

ers

have

no

oppo

rtun

ities

to le

arn

abou

t the

ex

amin

atio

n, a

nd a

re n

ot in

volv

ed in

ex

amin

atio

n-re

late

d ta

sks.

Teac

hers

hav

e at

leas

t som

e op

port

uniti

es to

lear

n ab

out t

he

exam

inat

ion,

or a

re in

volv

ed in

at l

east

so

me

exam

inat

ion-

rela

ted

task

s.

Teac

hers

hav

e at

leas

t som

e op

port

uniti

es to

lear

n ab

out t

he

exam

inat

ion,

and

are

invo

lved

in a

t lea

st

som

e ex

amin

atio

n-re

late

d ta

sks.

Teac

hers

hav

e op

port

uniti

es to

lear

n ab

out d

iffer

ent a

spec

ts o

f the

ex

amin

atio

n, a

nd a

re in

volv

ed in

mos

t ex

amin

atio

n-re

late

d ta

sks. 1

3

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

25

SYST

EM A

LIGN

MEN

T De

gree

to w

hich

the

asse

ssm

ent i

s coh

eren

t with

oth

er co

mpo

nent

s of t

he e

duca

tion

syst

em.

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

SYST

EM A

LIGN

MEN

T 1:

Al

igni

ng th

e ex

amin

atio

n w

ith le

arni

ng g

oals

Th

ere

is no

exa

min

atio

n, o

r the

ex

amin

atio

n is

not a

ligne

d w

ith o

fficia

l le

arni

ng g

oals

or cu

rricu

lum

.

The

exam

inat

ion

is w

eakl

y al

igne

d w

ith

offic

ial l

earn

ing

goal

s or c

urric

ulum

, or

ther

e ar

e no

regu

lar r

evie

ws t

o en

sure

al

ignm

ent.

The

exam

inat

ion

is at

leas

t suf

ficie

ntly

al

igne

d w

ith o

fficia

l lea

rnin

g go

als o

r cu

rricu

lum

, and

regu

lar r

evie

ws o

f the

ex

amin

atio

n ta

ke p

lace

to e

nsur

e al

ignm

ent.14

The

exam

inat

ion

is fu

lly a

ligne

d w

ith

offic

ial l

earn

ing

goal

s or c

urric

ulum

, and

re

gula

r ext

erna

l rev

iew

s tak

e p l

ace

to

ensu

re a

lignm

ent.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

the

mat

eria

l to

prep

are

for t

he e

xam

inat

ions

is

avai

labl

e to

a sm

all n

umbe

r of

stud

ents

at m

ost.

The

mat

eria

l is a

cces

sible

to le

ss th

an

half

of th

e st

uden

ts.

Ther

e is

com

preh

ensiv

e m

ater

ial t

o pr

epar

e fo

r the

exa

min

atio

n th

at is

ac

cess

ible

to m

ost s

tude

nts.

Ther

e is

com

preh

ensiv

e m

ater

ial t

o pr

epar

e fo

r the

exa

min

atio

n th

at is

w

idel

y ac

cess

ible

to a

ll or

alm

ost a

ll st

uden

ts. 1

5 Th

ere

is no

exa

min

atio

n, o

r the

ex

amin

atio

n is

not c

onsis

tent

with

oth

er

asse

ssm

ent a

ctiv

ities

.

The

exam

inat

ion

is m

inim

ally

con

siste

nt

with

oth

er a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es.

The

exam

inat

ion

is su

ffici

ently

cons

isten

t w

ith o

ther

ass

essm

ent a

ctiv

ities

. Th

e ex

amin

atio

n is

fully

cons

isten

t with

ot

her a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es. 16

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

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SYST

EMS

APPR

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H FO

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EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

26

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y De

gree

to w

hich

the

asse

ssm

ent m

eets

tech

nica

l sta

ndar

ds, i

s fai

r, an

d is

used

in a

n ef

fect

ive

way

. LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 1:

En

suri

ng th

e qu

alit

y of

the

exam

inat

ion

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

are

no

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

ens

ure

the

qual

ity o

f the

exa

min

atio

n.

Ther

e ar

e m

inim

al fo

rmal

mec

hani

sms i

n pl

ace

to e

nsur

e th

e qu

ality

of t

he

exam

inat

ion.

Ther

e ar

e so

me

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

ens

ure

the

qual

ity o

f the

ex

amin

atio

n. 17

Ther

e ar

e a

varie

ty o

f for

mal

m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

ens

ure

the

qual

ity o

f the

exa

min

atio

n.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

is n

o do

cum

enta

tion

abou

t the

tech

nica

l as

pect

s of t

he e

xam

inat

ion.

Ther

e is

som

e do

cum

enta

tion

abou

t the

te

chni

cal a

spec

ts o

f the

exa

min

atio

n.

Ther

e is

a co

mpr

ehen

sive

tech

nica

l re

port

abo

ut th

e ex

amin

atio

n av

aila

ble

upon

requ

est o

r with

rest

ricte

d ac

cess

.

Ther

e is

a co

mpr

ehen

sive

tech

nica

l re

port

abo

ut th

e ex

amin

atio

n pu

blicl

y av

aila

ble

onlin

e. 1

8

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 2:

En

suri

ng fa

irne

ss

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

he m

ajor

ity

of th

e st

uden

ts m

ay n

ot ta

ke th

e ex

amin

atio

n be

caus

e of

lang

uage

, ge

nder

, or o

ther

equ

ival

ent b

arrie

rs.

A sig

nific

ant p

ropo

rtio

n of

stud

ents

may

no

t tak

e th

e ex

amin

atio

n be

caus

e of

la

ngua

ge, g

ende

r, or

oth

er e

quiv

alen

t ba

rrie

rs.

A sm

all p

ropo

rtio

n of

stud

ents

may

not

ta

ke th

e ex

amin

atio

n be

caus

e of

la

ngua

ge, g

ende

r, or

oth

er e

quiv

alen

t ba

rrie

rs.

All s

tude

nts c

an ta

ke th

e ex

amin

atio

n;

ther

e ar

e no

lang

uage

, gen

der o

r eq

uiva

lent

bar

riers

. 19

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or s

tude

nt

resu

lts a

re n

ot co

nfid

entia

l, or

in

appr

opria

te b

ehav

ior s

urro

undi

ng th

e ex

amin

atio

n is

high

.

Stud

ent r

esul

ts a

re n

ot co

nfid

entia

l, an

d th

ere

is so

me

inap

prop

riate

beh

avio

r su

rrou

ndin

g th

e ex

amin

atio

n.

Stud

ent r

esul

ts a

re co

nfid

entia

l, an

d in

appr

opria

te b

ehav

ior s

urro

undi

ng th

e ex

amin

atio

n is

low

.

Stud

ent r

esul

ts a

re co

nfid

entia

l, an

d th

ere

is no

inap

prop

riate

beh

avio

r su

rrou

ndin

g th

e ex

amin

atio

n.20

(CO

NTIN

UED)

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OA

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ER-S

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NT A

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SYST

EMS

APPR

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H FO

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EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

27

LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 3:

En

suri

ng a

ppro

pria

te u

ses o

f the

exa

min

atio

n Th

ere

is no

exa

min

atio

n, o

r stu

dent

re

sults

are

not

per

ceiv

ed a

s cre

dibl

e, o

r ar

e no

t rec

ogni

zed

by a

ny b

road

er

cert

ifica

tion

or se

lect

ion

syst

em.

Stud

ent r

esul

ts a

re p

erce

ived

as c

redi

ble

by a

t lea

st so

me

stak

ehol

ders

. St

uden

t res

ults

are

per

ceiv

ed a

s cre

dibl

e by

mos

t sta

keho

lder

s, an

d ar

e na

tiona

lly

reco

gnize

d.

Stud

ent r

esul

ts a

re p

erce

ived

as c

redi

ble

by m

ost s

take

hold

ers,

and

are

inte

rnat

iona

lly re

cogn

ized.

21

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

are

no

optio

ns in

the

educ

atio

n sy

stem

for

stud

ents

who

do

not p

erfo

rm w

ell o

n th

e ex

amin

atio

n.

Ther

e ar

e ve

ry fe

w o

ptio

ns in

the

educ

atio

n sy

stem

for s

tude

nts w

ho d

o no

t per

form

wel

l on

the

exam

inat

ion.

Ther

e ar

e so

me

optio

ns in

the

educ

atio

n sy

stem

for s

tude

nts w

ho d

o no

t per

form

w

ell o

n th

e ex

amin

atio

n. 2

2

Ther

e ar

e a

varie

ty o

f opt

ions

in th

e ed

ucat

ion

syst

em fo

r stu

dent

s who

do

not p

erfo

rm w

ell o

n th

e ex

amin

atio

n.

Ther

e is

no e

xam

inat

ion,

or t

here

are

no

mec

hani

sms i

n pl

ace

to m

onito

r the

ex

amin

atio

n.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Th

ere

are

som

e m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

m

onito

r the

exa

min

atio

n.23

Th

ere

are

a va

riety

of m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

mon

itor t

he e

xam

inat

ion.

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OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

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NT A

SSES

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T

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014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

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EDU

CATI

ON

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LTS

28

Exam

inat

ions

: Developmen

t-level rating j

ustifications

1. T

he S

amoa

Sec

onda

ry Le

avin

g Ce

rtifi

cate

was

firs

t im

plem

ente

d as

the

Pacif

ic Se

nior

Sec

onda

ry C

ertif

icate

in 1

989

and

beca

me

a na

tiona

l exa

min

atio

n an

d kn

own

as th

e Sa

moa

Sec

onda

ry Le

avin

g Ce

rtifi

cate

in 2

013.

It is

adm

inist

ered

eve

ry y

ear t

o Ye

ar 1

3 st

uden

ts in

Eng

lish

and

othe

r opt

iona

l sub

ject

s, w

hich

in

clude

Sam

oan,

Hist

ory,

Bio

logy

, Che

mist

ry, P

hysic

s, M

athe

mat

ics, A

ccou

ntin

g, E

cono

mics

, Agr

icultu

ral S

cienc

e, C

ompu

ter S

tudi

es, G

eogr

aphy

, Foo

d &

Tex

tiles

, De

sign

Tech

nolo

gy, P

hysic

al E

duca

tion

& H

ealth

, Art

s, an

d M

usic.

2.

The

Sam

oa N

atio

nal S

choo

l Ass

essm

ent P

olicy

Fra

mew

ork

docu

men

t, au

thor

ized

in 2

010

by th

e M

ESC,

aut

horiz

es th

e Sa

moa

Sec

onda

ry Le

avin

g Ce

rtifi

cate

. Th

is do

cum

ent i

s ava

ilabl

e on

line

and

copi

es a

re d

issem

inat

ed to

scho

ols.

3.

The

exa

min

atio

n is

fully

stan

dard

ized.

Ass

essm

ent d

esig

n, a

dmin

istra

tion,

scor

ing,

and

repo

rtin

g ar

e th

e sa

me

for a

ll st

uden

ts ta

king

the

exam

inat

ion.

In

addi

tion,

ther

e ar

e a

varie

ty o

f pro

cedu

res i

n pl

ace

to e

nsur

e th

e st

anda

rdiza

tion.

For

exa

mpl

e, e

xam

inat

ion

pape

rs o

r tas

ks a

re th

e sa

me

or a

re e

quiv

alen

t for

al

l stu

dent

s and

the

sam

e sc

orin

g cr

iteria

are

use

d to

corr

ect t

he e

xam

inat

ion

pape

rs a

nd ta

sks.

4.

The

MES

C, w

hich

cons

ists o

f a p

erm

anen

t bod

y of

stak

ehol

ders

, pro

vide

s lea

ders

hip

for t

he e

xam

inat

ion.

The

MES

C ha

s pus

hed

for t

he d

evel

opm

ent o

f the

ex

amin

atio

n an

d ha

s inf

luen

ce a

nd p

ower

in d

eter

min

ing

the

exam

inat

ion

agen

da in

the

coun

try.

5.

The

re is

regu

lar f

undi

ng fo

r the

exa

min

atio

n al

loca

ted

at th

e di

scre

tion

of th

e go

vern

men

t or d

onor

s.

6. G

over

nmen

t res

ourc

es co

nstit

ute

the

mos

t sig

nific

ant s

ourc

e of

fund

ing

for t

he e

xam

inat

ions

. In

addi

tion,

ther

e is

a sm

all s

tude

nt fe

e fo

r the

exa

min

atio

n.

7. F

undi

ng a

lloca

ted

for t

he e

xam

inat

ion

cove

rs e

xam

inat

ion

desig

n an

d ad

min

istra

tion

and

data

ana

lysis

. The

CM

AD a

nnua

l bud

get c

over

s sta

ff sa

larie

s, re

sear

ch a

nd d

evel

opm

ent,

and

data

repo

rtin

g.

8. T

he C

urric

ulum

, Mat

eria

ls, a

nd A

sses

smen

t Div

ision

(CM

AD) w

ithin

the

MES

C ha

s had

full

cont

rol o

f the

Sam

oa S

choo

l Lea

ving

Cer

tifica

te si

nce

2013

and

pa

rtia

l con

trol

sinc

e 20

10.

9. T

he e

xam

inat

ion

unit

is ac

coun

tabl

e to

a N

atio

nal A

sses

smen

t Cou

ncil

that

bel

ongs

to th

e sa

me

broa

der i

nstit

utio

n as

the

exam

inat

ion

unit.

10

. The

exa

min

atio

n un

it ha

s up-

to-d

ate

com

pute

rs fo

r all

tech

nica

l sta

ff, to

p-le

vel s

ecur

ity fo

r its

bui

ldin

g, to

p-le

vel s

tora

ge fa

ciliti

es, a

nd u

p-to

-dat

e co

mpu

ter

serv

ers a

nd co

mm

unica

tion

tool

s.

11. A

ccor

ding

to a

rece

nt st

udy,

the

"Inst

itutio

nal C

apac

ity A

naly

sis o

f Sam

oa A

sses

smen

t and

Exa

min

atio

ns U

nit,"

cond

ucte

d by

the

Aust

ralia

n Co

uncil

for

Educ

atio

nal R

esea

rch

(ACE

R), t

he A

sses

smen

t and

Exa

min

atio

ns U

nit (

AEU)

requ

ires h

ighe

r sta

ff nu

mbe

rs to

stre

ngth

en th

e re

sear

ch a

nd tr

aini

ng fu

nctio

n of

th

eir u

nit.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

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BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

29

12. T

he co

untr

y of

fers

som

e an

nual

opp

ortu

nitie

s to

lear

n ab

out e

xam

inat

ions

. For

exa

mpl

e, th

ere

are

spec

ific c

ours

es in

pre

-ser

vice

teac

her t

rain

ing

whi

ch

cove

r all

area

s of a

sses

smen

t, in

cludi

ng le

arni

ng sp

ecifi

cally

abo

ut th

e ex

amin

atio

ns u

sed

in S

amoa

. In

addi

tion,

the

MES

C ho

sts a

nnua

l wor

ksho

ps fo

r Yea

r 12

and

Year

13

teac

hers

whi

ch in

clude

som

e fo

cus o

n ex

amin

atio

ns. I

n ad

ditio

n to

the

exam

inat

ion

unit,

uni

vers

ity te

ache

rs a

nd st

uden

ts, t

each

ers o

r edu

cato

rs,

and

asse

ssm

ent s

pecia

lists

ben

efit

from

opp

ortu

nitie

s to

lear

n ab

out e

xam

inat

ions

. 13

. Tea

cher

s hav

e op

port

uniti

es to

lear

n ab

out t

he co

nten

t and

skill

s mea

sure

d by

the

exam

inat

ion

as w

ell a

s oth

er a

spec

ts. F

or e

xam

ple,

at t

he b

egin

ning

of

each

aca

dem

ic ca

lend

ar y

ear,

the

MES

C ho

sts a

wor

ksho

p fo

r all

Year

12

and

Year

13

teac

hers

to re

view

the

prev

ious

yea

r's e

xam

s, di

scus

s exa

m p

repa

ratio

n,

and

impr

ove

peda

gogi

cal p

ract

ices.

In a

dditi

on, t

each

ers a

re in

volv

ed in

mos

t exa

min

atio

n-re

late

d ta

sks,

inclu

ding

sele

ctin

g or

crea

ting

exam

inat

ion

ques

tions

an

d sc

orin

g gu

ides

, adm

inist

erin

g an

d sc

orin

g th

e ex

amin

atio

n, su

perv

ising

exa

min

atio

n pr

oced

ures

, and

reso

lvin

g in

cons

isten

cies

bet

wee

n ex

amin

atio

n sc

ores

an

d sc

hool

gra

des.

14

. The

exa

min

atio

n is

stro

ngly

alig

ned

with

the

cont

ent a

nd sk

ill a

reas

of t

he le

arni

ng g

oals

or cu

rricu

lum

. In

addi

tion,

the

exam

inat

ion

is al

igne

d w

ith

peda

gogi

cal a

ppro

ache

s or a

ctiv

ities

com

patib

le w

ith th

e le

arni

ng g

oals

or cu

rricu

lum

. For

exa

mpl

e, in

ord

er to

ens

ure

alig

nmen

t with

the

offic

ial l

earn

ing

goal

s or

curr

iculu

m, t

he C

hief

Exa

min

er is

inst

ruct

ed to

use

the

curr

iculu

m a

s the

key

refe

renc

e to

ol fo

r set

ting

the

exam

. In

addi

tion,

ther

e ar

e re

gula

r int

erna

l re

view

s to

asse

ss th

at th

e ex

amin

atio

n is

alig

ned

with

wha

t it i

s int

ende

d to

mea

sure

. 15

. Com

preh

ensiv

e m

ater

ials

to p

repa

re fo

r the

exa

min

atio

n, su

ch a

s exa

mpl

es o

f the

type

s of q

uest

ions

that

are

on

the

exam

inat

ion

and

info

rmat

ion

on h

ow to

pr

epar

e fo

r the

exa

min

atio

n, a

re a

vaila

ble

and

acce

ssib

le to

all

stud

ents

. In

addi

tion,

the

fram

ewor

k do

cum

ent e

xpla

inin

g w

hat i

s mea

sure

d on

the

exam

inat

ion

is av

aila

ble.

An

exam

iner

repo

rt is

also

pre

pare

d af

ter e

ach

exam

and

subm

itted

to sc

hool

s. 16

. It i

s not

pos

sible

to te

ll w

heth

er th

e Sc

hool

Leav

ing

Cert

ifica

te is

cons

isten

t with

the

natio

nal a

nd in

tern

atio

nal l

arge

-sca

le a

sses

smen

ts th

at th

e co

untr

y ha

s ca

rrie

d ou

t bec

ause

the

exam

inat

ion

is ad

min

ister

ed a

t the

seco

ndar

y le

vel,

whi

le th

e la

rge-

scal

e as

sess

men

ts a

re a

dmin

ister

ed a

t the

prim

ary

leve

l. At

the

sam

e tim

e, si

nce

class

room

ass

essm

ent p

ract

ices a

re v

arie

d ac

ross

scho

ols i

n Sa

moa

, it i

s unc

lear

whe

ther

the

exam

inat

ion

is co

nsist

ent w

ith su

ch p

ract

ices

. 17

. The

re a

re so

me

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

ens

ure

the

qual

ity o

f the

exa

min

atio

n. F

or e

xam

ple,

all

proc

tors

or a

dmin

istra

tors

are

trai

ned

acco

rdin

g to

a

prot

ocol

. In

addi

tion,

the

"Exa

min

atio

n, A

sses

smen

t, an

d Ce

rtifi

catio

n: R

ules

and

Pro

cedu

res"

doc

umen

t pro

vide

s sta

ndar

dize

d in

stru

ctio

ns fo

r adm

inist

ratio

n an

d da

ta p

roce

ssin

g of

the

exam

inat

ion.

The

re is

also

dou

ble

data

scor

ing,

and

dou

ble

proc

essin

g of

dat

a. In

add

ition

, sco

rers

are

trai

ned

to e

nsur

e hi

gh

relia

bilit

y an

d th

e M

ESC

AEU

staf

f act

as i

nter

nal o

bser

vers

for t

he e

xam

inat

ions

. 18

. The

re is

a co

mpr

ehen

sive

tech

nica

l rep

ort,

the

Exam

iner

’s Re

port

, for

eac

h su

bjec

t, w

hich

is se

nt to

scho

ols a

nd m

ade

avai

labl

e at

the

MES

C of

fices

. Ac

cord

ing

to p

olicy

, the

repo

rt is

supp

osed

to b

e m

ade

avai

labl

e on

line.

19

. Reg

ardl

ess o

f bac

kgro

und,

loca

tion,

and

abi

lity

to p

ay, a

ll st

uden

ts m

ay ta

ke e

xam

inat

ion.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

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RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

30

20. O

nly

the

stud

ent a

nd p

erso

ns w

ith a

legi

timat

e, p

rofe

ssio

nal i

nter

est i

n th

e te

st ta

ker c

an k

now

the

resu

lts. T

here

is n

o in

appr

opria

te b

ehav

ior s

urro

undi

ng

the

exam

inat

ion.

For

exa

mpl

e, co

pyin

g fro

m o

ther

cand

idat

es a

nd in

timid

atio

n of

exa

min

atio

n su

perv

isors

, mar

kers

, or o

fficia

ls do

not

occ

ur d

urin

g th

e ex

amin

atio

n pr

oces

s.

21. R

esul

ts a

re p

erce

ived

as c

redi

ble

by m

ost s

take

hold

er g

roup

s.

22. S

tude

nts w

ho d

o no

t per

form

wel

l on

the

exam

inat

ion

may

opt

for l

ess s

elec

tive

scho

ols,

univ

ersit

ies,

or tr

acks

or r

epea

t the

scho

ol y

ear.

Stud

ent m

ay re

take

th

e ex

amin

atio

n on

ce th

ey h

ave

repe

ated

the

scho

ol y

ear.

How

ever

, stu

dent

s do

not h

ave

the

optio

n to

att

end

rem

edia

l edu

catio

n or

take

pre

para

tory

cour

ses.

23

. The

Nat

iona

l Ass

essm

ent C

ounc

il is

in p

lace

to m

onito

r the

exa

min

atio

n in

term

s of i

mpa

ct, a

ccep

tanc

e, a

nd cr

edib

ility

. In

addi

tion,

conf

eren

ces a

re in

pla

ce

to d

iscus

s the

exa

min

atio

ns. H

owev

er, t

here

is n

o pe

rman

ent o

vers

ight

com

mitt

ee o

r fun

ding

for i

ndep

ende

nt re

sear

ch o

n th

e ex

amin

atio

n. T

here

are

no

stud

ies t

hat a

re u

pdat

ed re

gula

rly, o

r reg

ular

focu

s gro

ups o

r sur

veys

of k

ey st

akeh

olde

rs.

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OA

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T

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014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

31

SAM

OA

Natio

nal (

or S

yste

m-L

evel

) Lar

ge-S

cale

Ass

essm

ent (

NLSA

)

SAM

OA

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ER-S

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NT A

SSES

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T

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TRY

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RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

32

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT

Ove

rall

fram

ewor

k of

pol

icies

, lea

ders

hip,

inst

itutio

nal a

rran

gem

ents

, fisc

al a

nd h

uman

reso

urce

s in

whi

ch th

e as

sess

men

t tak

es p

lace

in a

coun

try,

and

the

exte

nt to

whi

ch th

at fr

amew

ork

is di

rect

ly co

nduc

ive

to, o

r sup

port

ive

of, t

he a

sses

smen

t act

ivity

. LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 1

:

Sett

ing

clea

r po

licie

s for

the

NLSA

No

NLS

A ha

s tak

en p

lace

in th

e co

untr

y.

The

NLSA

has

bee

n op

erat

ing

on a

n irr

egul

ar b

asis.

Th

e NL

SA h

as b

een

oper

atin

g re

gula

rly. 1

Th

is op

tion

does

not

app

ly to

this

dim

ensio

n.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

as n

o po

licy

docu

men

t per

tain

ing

to N

LSA.

Ther

e w

as a

n in

form

al o

r dra

ft po

licy

docu

men

t tha

t aut

horiz

ed th

e NL

SA.

Ther

e w

as a

form

al p

olicy

doc

umen

t tha

t au

thor

ized

the

NLSA

, ava

ilabl

e up

on

requ

est o

r with

rest

ricte

d ac

cess

. 2

Ther

e w

as a

form

al p

olicy

doc

umen

t tha

t au

thor

ized

the

NLSA

that

is p

ublic

ly

avai

labl

e on

line

to a

nyon

e in

tere

sted

.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

as n

o as

sess

men

t sch

edul

e fo

r fut

ure

NLSA

s.

Ther

e w

as a

com

mon

, inf

orm

al

unde

rsta

ndin

g th

at th

ere

wou

ld b

e an

NL

SA in

the

futu

re.

Ther

e w

as a

n of

ficia

l ass

essm

ent

sche

dule

for f

utur

e NL

SAs,

albe

it la

ckin

g in

det

ails.

Ther

e w

as a

pub

licly

ava

ilabl

e of

ficia

l as

sess

men

t sch

edul

e fo

r fut

ure

NLSA

s, sp

ecify

ing

whe

n (y

ear)

, who

(gra

de le

vel)

and

wha

t (su

bjec

t are

as) w

ould

be

asse

ssed

.3 EN

ABLI

NG

CON

TEXT

2:

Hav

ing

lead

ersh

ip fo

r th

e NL

SA

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

coun

try

did

not h

ave

lead

ersh

ip fo

r the

NLS

A.

The

coun

try

had

wea

k le

ader

ship

for t

he

NLSA

. Th

e co

untr

y ha

d le

ader

ship

for t

he N

LSA

from

an

indi

vidu

al p

erso

n or

from

a

stak

ehol

der b

ody.

The

coun

try

had

lead

ersh

ip fo

r the

NLS

A fro

m b

oth

an in

divi

dual

per

son

and

a pe

rman

ent s

take

hold

er b

ody.

4

(CO

NTIN

UED)

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OA

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ER-S

TUDE

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SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

33

LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 3

: H

avin

g re

gula

r fu

ndin

g fo

r th

e NL

SA

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

as n

o fu

ndin

g fo

r the

NLS

A.

Ther

e w

as fu

ndin

g fo

r the

NLS

A.5

Ther

e w

as re

gula

r fun

ding

for t

he N

LSA

that

was

allo

cate

d by

law

or r

egul

atio

n.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

as n

o fu

ndin

g fo

r the

NLS

A fro

m in

tern

al o

r ex

tern

al so

urce

s.

The

fund

ing

for t

he N

LSA

cam

e on

ly o

r pr

imar

ily fr

om lo

ans o

r ext

erna

l don

ors.

Th

e fu

ndin

g fo

r the

NLS

A ca

me

prim

arily

or

onl

y fro

m th

e co

untr

y's i

nter

nal

fund

ing

sour

ces.

6

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

as n

o fu

ndin

g.

Ther

e w

as fu

ndin

g to

cove

r at l

east

som

e m

inim

um co

re a

ctiv

ities

of t

he N

LSA.

7 Th

ere

was

fund

ing

to co

ver a

ll or

mos

t co

re a

ctiv

ities

of t

he N

LSA.

Th

ere

was

fund

ing

to co

ver a

ll co

re

activ

ities

, plu

s res

earc

h an

d de

velo

pmen

t.

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 4

: H

avin

g in

stitu

tiona

l cap

acit

y fo

r th

e NL

SA

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

as n

o NL

SA te

am.

Ther

e w

as a

tem

pora

ry o

r ad

hoc t

eam

in

char

ge o

f the

NLS

A, o

r oth

er e

quiv

alen

t. Th

ere

was

a p

erm

anen

t tea

m, a

t lea

st

natio

nally

reco

gnize

d, w

ith a

t lea

st so

me

expe

rienc

e in

NLS

A.8

Ther

e w

as a

per

man

ent t

eam

, in

tern

atio

nally

reco

gnize

d, w

ith v

ast

expe

rienc

e in

NLS

A.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r it w

as u

ncle

ar to

w

hich

bod

y th

e NL

SA u

nit w

as

acco

unta

ble.

9

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Th

e NL

SA u

nit w

as a

ccou

ntab

le to

a

clear

ly re

cogn

ized

body

. Th

is op

tion

does

not

app

ly to

this

dim

ensio

n.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

NLS

A un

it di

d no

t hav

e fa

ciliti

es to

carr

y ou

t the

as

sess

men

t.

The

NLSA

uni

t had

onl

y a

few

of t

he

requ

ired

facil

ities

to ca

rry

out t

he

asse

ssm

ent.

The

NLSA

uni

t had

all

of th

e re

quire

d fa

ciliti

es to

carr

y ou

t the

ass

essm

ent.

The

NLSA

uni

t had

up-

to-d

ate

vers

ions

of

all r

equi

red

facil

ities

to ca

rry

out t

he

asse

ssm

ent.10

(CO

NTIN

UED)

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OA

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ER-S

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SSES

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T

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BER

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TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

34

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 5

:

Hav

ing

hum

an r

esou

rces

for

the

NLSA

Th

ere

was

no

NLSA

, or t

here

was

no

NLSA

staf

f. Th

e NL

SA te

am h

ad a

n in

adeq

uate

nu

mbe

r of s

taff

to ca

rry

out t

he N

LSA.

11

The

NLSA

team

had

an

adeq

uate

num

ber

of st

aff t

o ca

rry

out t

he N

LSA,

with

som

e qu

ality

pro

blem

s.

The

NLSA

team

had

an

adeq

uate

num

ber

of st

aff t

o ca

rry

out t

he N

LSA,

with

out

qual

ity p

robl

ems.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

coun

try

did

not o

ffer a

nnua

l opp

ortu

nitie

s to

lear

n ab

out N

LSA.

The

coun

try

offe

red

very

few

ann

ual

oppo

rtun

ities

to le

arn

abou

t NLS

A. 1

2 Th

e co

untr

y of

fere

d so

me

annu

al

oppo

rtun

ities

to le

arn

abou

t NLS

A, a

lbei

t on

ly to

the

NLSA

team

mem

bers

.

The

coun

try

offe

red

a w

ide

rang

e of

an

nual

opp

ortu

nitie

s to

lear

n ab

out

NLSA

. The

se o

ppor

tuni

ties w

ere

avai

labl

e to

a b

road

aud

ienc

e, in

cludi

ng th

e NL

SA

team

mem

bers

. T

here

was

no

NLSA

, or t

each

ers d

id n

ot

have

ann

ual o

ppor

tuni

ties t

o le

arn

abou

t th

e NL

SA.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Te

ache

rs h

ad a

nnua

l opp

ortu

nitie

s to

lear

n ab

out t

he co

nten

t and

skill

s m

easu

red

by th

e NL

SA.

Teac

hers

had

ann

ual o

ppor

tuni

ties t

o le

arn

abou

t diff

eren

t asp

ects

of t

he

NLSA

. 13

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OA

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ER-S

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SSES

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T

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TRY

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RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

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H FO

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ON

RESU

LTS

35

SYST

EM A

LIGN

MEN

T De

gree

to w

hich

the

asse

ssm

ent i

s coh

eren

t with

oth

er co

mpo

nent

s of t

he e

duca

tion

syst

em.

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

SYST

EM A

LIGN

MEN

T 1:

Al

igni

ng th

e NL

SA w

ith le

arni

ng g

oals

Th

ere

was

no

NLSA

, or t

he co

untr

y di

d no

t hav

e of

ficia

l lea

rnin

g go

als o

r cu

rricu

lum

, or t

he N

LSA

was

not

alig

ned

with

the

offic

ial l

earn

ing

goal

s or

curr

iculu

m.

The

NLSA

was

min

imal

ly a

ligne

d w

ith

offic

ial l

earn

ing

goal

s or c

urric

ulum

. 14

The

NLSA

was

suffi

cien

tly a

ligne

d w

ith

offic

ial l

earn

ing

goal

s or c

urric

ulum

, and

a

regu

lar i

nter

nal r

evie

w to

ok p

lace

to

ensu

re a

lignm

ent.

The

NLSA

was

fully

alig

ned

with

offi

cial

lear

ning

goa

ls or

curr

iculu

m, a

nd a

re

gula

r ext

erna

l rev

iew

took

pla

ce to

en

sure

alig

nmen

t.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r stu

dent

s had

no

prev

ious

exp

osur

e to

the

type

of c

onte

nt

and

skill

s mea

sure

d by

the

NLSA

.

Stud

ents

had

lim

ited

prev

ious

exp

osur

e to

the

type

of c

onte

nt a

nd sk

ills

mea

sur e

d by

the

NLSA

.

Stud

ents

had

suffi

cien

t pre

viou

s ex

posu

re to

the

type

of c

onte

nt a

nd sk

ills

mea

sure

d by

the

NLSA

. 15

Stud

ents

had

ext

ensiv

e pr

evio

us

expo

sure

to th

e ty

pe o

f con

tent

and

skill

s m

easu

red

by th

e NL

SA.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

NLS

A w

as n

ot

cons

isten

t with

oth

er a

sses

smen

t ac

tiviti

es.

The

NLSA

was

min

imal

ly co

nsist

ent w

ith

othe

r ass

essm

ent a

ctiv

ities

. Th

e NL

SA w

as su

ffici

ently

cons

isten

t with

ot

her a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es. 16

Th

e NL

SA w

as fu

lly co

nsist

ent w

ith o

ther

as

sess

men

t act

iviti

es.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

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TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

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EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

36

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y De

gree

to w

hich

the

asse

ssm

ent m

eets

tech

nica

l sta

ndar

ds, i

s fai

r and

is u

sed

in a

n ef

fect

ive

way

. LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 1:

En

suri

ng th

e qu

alit

y of

the

NLSA

T

here

was

no

NLSA

, or t

here

wer

e no

m

echa

nism

s to

inclu

de a

ll st

uden

t gr

oups

in th

e NL

SA.

Ther

e w

ere

info

rmal

or a

d ho

c m

echa

nism

s to

inclu

de a

ll st

uden

t gr

oups

in th

e NL

SA.

Ther

e w

ere

som

e fo

rmal

mec

hani

sms t

o in

clude

all

stud

ent g

roup

s in

the

NLSA

. Th

ere

wer

e a

varie

ty o

f for

mal

m

echa

nism

s to

inclu

de a

ll st

uden

t gro

ups

in th

e NL

SA. 1

7

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

ere

no

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

ens

ure

the

qual

ity o

f the

NLS

A.

Ther

e w

ere

very

few

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

pla

ce to

ens

ure

the

qual

ity o

f the

NL

SA.

Ther

e w

ere

som

e fo

rmal

mec

hani

sms i

n pl

ace

to e

nsur

e th

e qu

ality

of t

he N

LSA.

18

Ther

e w

ere

a va

riety

of f

orm

al

mec

hani

sms i

n pl

ace

to e

nsur

e th

e qu

ality

of t

he N

LSA.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

as n

o te

chni

cal d

ocum

enta

tion

abou

t the

NL

SA.

Ther

e w

as so

me

docu

men

tatio

n ab

out

the

tech

nica

l asp

ects

of t

he N

LSA.

Th

ere

was

a co

mpr

ehen

sive

tech

nica

l re

port

for t

he N

LSA,

ava

ilabl

e up

on

requ

est o

r with

rest

ricte

d ac

cess

.

Ther

e w

as a

com

preh

ensiv

e te

chni

cal

repo

rt fo

r the

NLS

A, p

ublic

ly a

vaila

ble

onlin

e. 1

9

(CO

NTIN

UED)

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OA

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ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 2:

En

suri

ng e

ffect

ive

uses

of t

he N

LSA

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r cou

ntry

resu

lts

and

info

rmat

ion

wer

e no

t diss

emin

ated

. Co

untr

y re

sults

and

info

rmat

ion

wer

e di

ssem

inat

ed u

sing

som

e co

mm

unica

tion

stra

tegy

, exc

ludi

ng d

issem

inat

ion

to

scho

ols.

20

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

diss

emin

ated

usin

g a

varie

ty o

f co

mm

unica

tion

stra

tegi

es, i

nclu

ding

di

ssem

inat

ion

to so

me

scho

ols.

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

diss

emin

ated

usin

g a

varie

ty o

f co

mm

unica

tion

stra

tegi

es, i

nclu

ding

di

ssem

inat

ion

to m

ost s

choo

ls.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r NLS

A re

sults

and

in

form

atio

n w

ere

not c

over

ed b

y th

e m

edia

.21

NLSA

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n ha

d ha

rdly

an

y co

vera

ge in

the

med

ia.

NLSA

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

cove

red

by so

me

med

ia o

utle

ts.

NLSA

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

cove

red

by a

wid

e va

riety

of m

edia

.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r res

ults

from

the

NLSA

wer

e no

t use

d to

info

rm d

ecisi

on

mak

ing

in th

e co

untr

y.

Resu

lts fr

om th

e NL

SA w

ere

min

imal

ly

used

to in

form

dec

ision

mak

ing

in th

e co

untr

y.

Resu

lts fr

om th

e NL

SA w

ere

used

in

som

e w

ays t

o in

form

dec

ision

mak

ing

in

the

coun

try.

Resu

lts fr

om th

e NL

SA w

ere

used

in a

va

riety

of w

ays t

o in

form

dec

ision

m

akin

g in

the

coun

try.

22

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA, o

r the

re w

ere

no

mec

hani

sms i

n pl

ace

to m

onito

r the

NL

SA.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Th

ere

wer

e so

me

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

mon

itor t

he N

LSA.

23

Ther

e w

ere

a va

riety

of f

orm

al

mec

hani

sms i

n pl

ace

to m

onito

r the

NL

SA.

Ther

e w

as n

o NL

SA o

r cle

ar e

vide

nce

or

cons

ensu

s abo

ut th

e po

sitiv

e im

pact

of

the

NLSA

on

educ

atio

n qu

ality

.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Th

ere

is a

gene

ral c

onse

nsus

abo

ut th

e po

sitiv

e im

pact

of t

he N

LSA

on e

duca

tion

qual

ity.

Ther

e is

evid

ence

of t

he p

ositi

ve im

pact

of

the

NLSA

on

educ

atio

n qu

ality

.24

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Natio

nal (

of S

yste

m-L

evel

) Lar

ge S

cale

Ass

essm

ent (

NLSA

): Developmen

t-level rating j

ustifications

1. T

he S

amoa

Prim

ary

Educ

atio

n Lit

erac

y Le

vel (

SPEL

L) w

as fi

rst i

ntro

duce

d in

199

3 an

d is

impl

emen

ted

ever

y ye

ar to

all

stud

ents

in y

ears

4 a

nd 6

. The

as

sess

men

t is a

dmin

ister

ed to

mon

itor e

duca

tion

qual

ity a

t the

coun

try

leve

l, su

ppor

t sch

ools

and

teac

hers

, hol

d go

vern

men

ts o

r pol

itica

l aut

horit

ies

acco

unta

ble,

and

info

rm p

olicy

des

ign,

eva

luat

ion,

or d

ecisi

on m

akin

g. T

he a

sses

smen

t cov

ers E

nglis

h, S

amoa

n, a

nd N

umer

acy.

2.

Alth

ough

ther

e is

no st

and-

alon

e po

licy

docu

men

t per

tain

ing

to S

PELL

, the

ass

essm

ent i

s ref

eren

ced

in th

e Na

tiona

l Sch

ool A

sses

smen

t Pol

icy F

ram

ewor

k.

3. T

he N

atio

nal E

xam

Cal

enda

r spe

cifie

s the

yea

r of f

utur

e as

sess

men

ts, y

ears

to b

e te

sted

, and

subj

ect a

reas

. The

Nat

iona

l Exa

m C

alen

dar i

s pro

vide

d to

scho

ols

and

is av

aila

ble

onlin

e.

4. T

he M

ESC,

and

par

ticul

arly

the

Chie

f Edu

catio

n O

ffice

r and

the

assis

tant

Chi

ef E

duca

tion

Offi

cers

, rep

rese

nt th

e re

cogn

ized

lead

ers f

or S

PELL

. 5.

The

re is

regu

lar f

undi

ng fo

r SPE

LL a

lloca

ted

base

d on

a la

w o

r reg

ulat

ion

thro

ugh

the

MES

C's e

xam

inat

ion

budg

et.

6. T

he fu

ndin

g fo

r SPE

LL co

mes

prim

arily

from

the

coun

try'

s int

erna

l fun

ding

sour

ces.

7.

Fun

ding

for S

PELL

cove

rs d

ata

anal

ysis.

Whi

le th

e co

st o

f ass

essm

ent d

esig

n is

cons

ider

ed a

n in

itial

inve

stm

ent c

ost,

adm

inist

ratio

n an

d re

port

ing

are

the

resp

onsib

ility

of t

he A

EU w

ithin

the

CMAD

and

are

cove

red

with

in th

eir b

udge

t.

8. C

MAD

, with

in th

e M

ESC,

nat

iona

lly re

cogn

ized

as a

n au

thor

ity in

stud

ent a

sses

smen

t in

Sam

oa, i

s in

char

ge o

f the

SPE

LL. T

he C

MAD

has

bee

n in

char

ge o

f the

SP

ELL s

ince

199

3.

9. T

he N

LSA

unit,

whi

ch is

the

AEU,

was

not

acc

ount

able

to a

clea

rly re

cogn

ized

body

. AE

U is

acco

unta

ble

to th

e M

ESC

Core

Exe

cutiv

e an

d th

e Na

tiona

l As

sess

men

t Cou

ncil.

10

. The

AEU

has

up-

to-d

ate

com

pute

rs fo

r all

tech

nica

l sta

ff, to

p-le

vel s

ecur

ity fo

r the

bui

ldin

g, to

p-le

vel s

tora

ge fa

ciliti

es, u

p-to

-dat

e ge

nera

tion

com

pute

r se

rver

s, an

d up

-to-d

ate

com

mun

icatio

n to

ols.

11

. The

AEU

has

an

inad

equa

te n

umbe

r of s

taff

to ca

rry

out n

atio

nal l

arge

-sca

le a

sses

smen

ts. T

he A

ustr

alia

n Co

uncil

for E

duca

tiona

l Res

earc

h (A

CER)

rece

ntly

co

nduc

ted

an "I

nstit

utio

nal C

apac

ity A

naly

sis o

f Sam

oa's

Asse

ssm

ent a

nd E

xam

inat

ions

Uni

t" a

nd fo

und

that

the

AEU

requ

ires a

hig

her n

umbe

r of s

taff

to

stre

ngth

en th

e re

sear

ch a

nd tr

aini

ng fu

nctio

ns o

f its

uni

t. Ho

wev

er, t

here

wer

e no

qua

lity

prob

lem

s ide

ntifi

ed w

ith th

e pe

rform

ance

of t

he te

am re

spon

sible

for

the

NLSA

.

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OA

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12. T

here

are

cour

ses i

n pr

e-se

rvice

teac

her t

rain

ing

on a

sses

smen

t, w

hich

cove

r ass

essm

ents

adm

inist

ered

in th

e co

untr

y. In

add

ition

, the

MES

C ho

sts

wor

ksho

ps fo

r Yea

r 4 a

nd Y

ear 6

teac

hers

and

prin

cipal

s on

the

SPEL

L. T

hese

opp

ortu

nitie

s are

ava

ilabl

e to

CM

AD e

mpl

oyee

s and

ass

essm

ent s

pecia

lists

, Sch

ool

Revi

ew O

ffice

rs, u

nive

rsity

stud

ents

, and

scho

ol p

rincip

als a

nd te

ache

rs.

13. I

n w

orks

hops

hos

ted

by th

e M

ESC,

Yea

r 4 a

nd Y

ear 6

teac

hers

had

opp

ortu

nitie

s to

lear

n ab

out t

he co

nten

t and

skill

s mea

sure

d by

the

NLSA

, as w

ell a

s oth

er

aspe

cts o

f the

ass

essm

ent.

14

. Sam

oa in

trod

uced

a n

ew p

rimar

y cu

rricu

lum

for t

he 2

013

acad

emic

year

. The

refo

re, S

PELL

doe

s not

alig

n w

ith th

e co

nten

t, sk

ill a

reas

, and

ped

agog

ical

appr

oach

es o

f the

new

offi

cial l

earn

ing

goal

s or c

urric

ulum

. 15

. Tex

tboo

ks o

r oth

er le

arni

ng re

sour

ces,

as w

ell a

s tea

cher

s, co

vere

d co

nten

t and

skill

s sim

ilar t

o th

ose

cove

red

by th

e NL

SA. F

urth

er, s

tude

nts w

ere

expo

sed

to m

ore

basic

cont

ent a

nd sk

ills i

n cla

ss th

an th

ose

cove

red

by th

e NL

SA.

16.

SPEL

L is c

onsis

tent

with

the

inte

rnat

iona

l lar

ge-s

cale

act

iviti

es in

Sam

oa. H

owev

er, i

t is u

ncle

ar w

heth

er S

PELL

is co

nsist

ent w

ith cl

assr

oom

ass

essm

ent s

ince

cla

ssro

om a

sses

smen

t is d

iver

sely

pra

ctice

d ac

ross

scho

ols.

It is

also

unc

lear

whe

ther

SPE

LL is

cons

isten

t with

exa

min

atio

ns si

nce

ther

e ar

e no

ne a

dmin

ister

ed a

t Ye

ar 4

or 6

, the

leve

ls at

whi

ch th

e SP

ELL i

s adm

inist

ered

. 17

. Acc

omm

odat

ions

or a

ltern

ativ

e as

sess

men

ts a

re p

rovi

ded

for s

tude

nts w

ith d

isabi

litie

s. Fo

r exa

mpl

e, S

PELL

has

bee

n ad

min

ister

ed a

t spe

cial s

choo

ls fo

r ch

ildre

n w

ith v

ision

and

hea

ring

impa

irmen

ts. I

n ad

ditio

n, sp

ecia

l pla

ns w

ere

mad

e to

ens

ure

that

SPE

LL w

as a

dmin

ister

ed to

stud

ents

in h

ard-

to-re

ach

area

s an

d of

fere

d in

the

lang

uage

of i

nstr

uctio

n fo

r alm

ost a

ll st

uden

t gro

ups.

18

. The

re a

re so

me

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

ens

ure

the

qual

ity o

f SPE

LL. F

or e

xam

ple,

ther

e is

a st

anda

rdize

d m

anua

l for

larg

e-sc

ale

asse

ssm

ent

adm

inist

rato

rs, d

oubl

e da

ta sc

orin

g, d

oubl

e pr

oces

sing

of d

ata,

and

inte

rnal

revi

ewer

s or o

bser

vers

. 19

. The

re is

a co

mpr

ehen

sive

tech

nica

l rep

ort f

or S

PELL

whi

ch is

sent

to sc

hool

s. In

add

ition

, cop

ies a

re a

vaila

ble

at th

e M

ESC

offic

e.

20. C

ount

ry re

sults

and

info

rmat

ion

are

diss

emin

ated

thro

ugh

an a

nnua

l SPE

LL re

port

and

a S

tatis

tical

Dig

est (

avai

labl

e on

line)

. The

ann

ual S

PELL

repo

rt a

nd th

e St

atist

ical D

iges

t are

also

sent

to sc

hool

s and

ava

ilabl

e fro

m th

e M

ESC

offic

e. In

add

ition

, res

ults

are

pre

sent

ed d

urin

g te

ache

r and

prin

cipal

wor

ksho

ps.

21. S

PELL

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n ar

e no

t usu

ally

cove

red

by th

e m

edia

. How

ever

, the

re a

re in

frequ

ent o

p-ed

s abo

ut th

e re

sults

in n

ewsp

aper

s.

22. R

esul

ts fr

om S

PELL

are

use

d fo

r tra

ckin

g th

e im

pact

of r

efor

ms o

n st

uden

t ach

ieve

men

t lev

els.

In a

dditi

on, r

esul

ts a

re u

sed

to in

form

curr

iculu

m

impr

ovem

ent,

teac

her t

rain

ing

prog

ram

s, re

sour

ce a

lloca

tion,

and

oth

er a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es in

the

syst

em.

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OA

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23. T

here

wer

e so

me

form

al m

echa

nism

s in

plac

e to

mon

itor t

he S

PELL

, inc

ludi

ng a

n ex

pert

revi

ew g

roup

and

a Li

tera

cy T

ask

Forc

e. T

each

er a

nd p

rincip

al

wor

ksho

ps p

rovi

de a

n op

port

unity

to m

onito

r SPE

LL o

n an

ann

ual b

asis

and

gaug

e ef

ficac

y in

term

s of i

mpa

ct, a

ccep

tabi

lity,

and

cred

ibili

ty. I

n ad

ditio

n, th

ere

is fu

ndin

g fo

r ind

epen

dent

rese

arch

on

the

SPEL

L.

24. T

here

are

som

e da

ta d

emon

stra

ting

that

child

ren

at ri

sk h

ave

impr

oved

out

com

es in

late

r yea

rs, w

hich

like

ly h

as so

me

corr

elat

ion

with

SPE

LL a

nd o

ther

re

late

d in

terv

entio

ns.

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OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

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BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

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014

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EMS

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41

SAM

OA

Inte

rnat

iona

l Lar

ge-S

cale

Ass

essm

ent (

ILSA

)

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

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42

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT

Ove

rall

fram

ewor

k of

pol

icies

, lea

ders

hip,

inst

itutio

nal a

rran

gem

ents

, fisc

al a

nd h

uman

reso

urce

s in

whi

ch th

e as

sess

men

t tak

es p

lace

in a

coun

try,

and

the

exte

nt to

whi

ch th

at fr

amew

ork

is di

rect

ly co

nduc

ive

to, o

r sup

port

ive

of, t

he a

sses

smen

t act

ivity

. LA

TEN

T EM

ERGI

NG

ESTA

BLIS

HED

AD

VAN

CED

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 1

:

Sett

ing

clea

r po

licie

s for

the

ILSA

Th

e co

untr

y ha

s not

par

ticip

ated

in a

n IL

SA in

the

last

10

year

s. Th

e co

untr

y ha

s par

ticip

ated

in, b

ut n

ot

com

plet

ed, a

n IL

SA in

the

last

10

year

s.1

Th

e co

untr

y ha

s com

plet

ed o

ne IL

SA in

th

e la

st 1

0 ye

ars.

Th

e co

untr

y ha

s com

plet

ed tw

o or

mor

e IL

SAs i

n th

e la

st 1

0 ye

ars.

The

coun

try

is no

t cur

rent

ly p

artic

ipat

ing

in a

n IL

SA o

r has

not

take

n co

ncre

te

step

s to

part

icipa

te in

an

ILSA

in th

e ne

xt

5 ye

ars.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Th

e co

untr

y is

curr

ently

par

ticip

atin

g in

an

ILSA

or h

as ta

ken

conc

rete

step

s to

part

icipa

te in

at l

east

one

ILSA

in th

e ne

xt 5

yea

rs.2

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Ther

e w

as n

o co

untr

y-le

vel p

olicy

do

cum

ent t

hat a

ddre

ssed

par

ticip

atio

n in

the

ILSA

.3

Ther

e w

as a

n in

form

al o

r dra

ft co

untr

y-le

vel p

olicy

doc

umen

t tha

t add

ress

ed

part

icipa

tion

in th

e IL

SA.

Ther

e w

as a

form

al co

untr

y-le

vel p

olicy

do

cum

ent t

hat a

ddre

ssed

par

ticip

atio

n in

the

ILSA

that

was

ava

ilabl

e up

on

requ

est o

r with

rest

ricte

d ac

cess

.

Ther

e w

as a

form

al co

untr

y-le

vel p

olicy

do

cum

ent t

hat a

ddre

ssed

par

ticip

atio

n in

th

e IL

SA th

at w

as p

ublic

ly a

vaila

ble

onlin

e to

any

one

inte

rest

ed.

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 2

: H

avin

g su

ffici

ent f

undi

ng fo

r th

e IL

SA

Ther

e w

as n

o fu

ndin

g fo

r par

ticip

atio

n in

th

e IL

SA, d

iscre

tiona

ry o

r oth

erw

ise.4

Fund

ing

for t

he IL

SA a

ctiv

ities

was

pr

imar

ily a

lloca

ted

at th

e di

scre

tion

of

the

coun

try'

s gov

ernm

ent.

Fund

ing

for t

he IL

SA a

ctiv

ities

was

pr

imar

ily a

lloca

ted

by la

w o

r reg

ulat

ion.

Th

is op

tion

does

not

app

ly to

this

dim

ensio

n.

Ther

e w

as n

o fu

ndin

g fro

m lo

ans,

exte

rnal

don

ors,

or in

tern

al so

urce

s.

Ther

e w

as fu

ndin

g on

ly o

r prim

arily

fro

m lo

ans o

r ext

erna

l don

ors.

5 Th

ere

was

fund

ing

prim

arily

from

the

coun

try'

s int

erna

l fun

ding

sour

ces.

Th

ere

was

fund

ing

only

from

the

coun

try'

s int

erna

l sou

rces

.

Ther

e w

as n

o fu

ndin

g fo

r cor

e ite

ms o

r re

sear

ch a

nd d

evel

opm

ent.

The

ILSA

fund

ing

cove

red

at le

ast

min

imum

core

item

s of t

he IL

SA.

The

ILSA

fund

ing

cove

red

mos

t cor

e ite

ms.6

The

ILSA

fund

ing

cove

red

mos

t cor

e ite

ms,

plus

rese

arch

and

dev

elop

men

t.

(CO

NTIN

UED)

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

43

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

ENAB

LIN

G CO

NTE

XT 3

: H

avin

g ef

fect

ive

inst

itutio

nal a

nd h

uman

cap

acity

for

the

ILSA

Th

ere

was

no

ILSA

uni

t or t

eam

. Th

ere

was

at l

east

one

per

son

in ch

arge

of

the

ILSA

. 7

Ther

e w

as a

reco

gnize

d un

it or

team

w

ith a

t lea

st so

me

expe

rienc

e in

in

tern

atio

nal a

sses

smen

ts th

at ca

rrie

d ou

t the

ILSA

in a

n ef

fect

ive

way

.

Ther

e w

as a

n in

tern

atio

nally

-rec

ogni

zed

unit

or te

am w

ith v

ast e

xper

ienc

e in

in

tern

atio

nal a

sses

smen

ts th

at c

arrie

d ou

t the

ILSA

in a

n ef

fect

ive

way

. Th

ere

was

no

ILSA

uni

t, or

the

unit

did

not h

ave

the

requ

ired

facil

ities

to ca

rry

out t

he IL

SA.

The

ILSA

uni

t had

onl

y a

few

of t

he

requ

ired

facil

ities

to ca

rry

out t

he IL

SA.

The

ILSA

uni

t had

all

of th

e re

quire

d fa

ciliti

es to

carr

y ou

t the

ILSA

. Th

e IL

SA u

nit h

ad u

p-to

-dat

e ve

rsio

ns o

f al

l of t

he re

quire

d fa

ciliti

es to

carr

y ou

t th

e IL

SA.8

The

coun

try

offe

red

no o

ppor

tuni

ties t

o le

arn

abou

t ILS

As.

The

coun

try

offe

red

min

imal

op

port

uniti

es to

lear

n ab

out I

LSA.

9 Th

e co

untr

y of

fere

d ad

equa

te

oppo

rtun

ities

to le

arn

abou

t ILS

A.

The

coun

try

offe

red

adeq

uate

op

port

uniti

es to

lear

n ab

out I

LSA

to a

br

oad

audi

ence

, inc

ludi

ng th

e IL

SA te

am

and

educ

ator

s.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

44

SYST

EM A

LIGN

MEN

T De

gree

to w

hich

the

asse

ssm

ent i

s coh

eren

t with

oth

er co

mpo

nent

s of t

he e

duca

tion

syst

em.

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

SYST

EM A

LIGN

MEN

T 1:

Al

igni

ng th

e IL

SA w

ith le

arni

ng g

oals

for

the

coun

try

The

ILSA

was

not

alig

ned

with

the

coun

try'

s offi

cial

lear

ning

goa

ls, o

r the

co

untr

y di

d no

t hav

e of

ficia

l lea

rnin

g go

als.

The

ILSA

was

par

tially

alig

ned

with

the

coun

try'

s offi

cial

lear

ning

goa

ls.

The

ILSA

was

suffi

cien

tly a

ligne

d w

ith

the

coun

try'

s offi

cial

lear

ning

goa

ls.10

Th

e IL

SA w

as fu

lly a

ligne

d w

ith th

e co

untr

y's o

ffici

al le

arni

ng g

oals.

Stu

dent

s wer

e no

t pre

viou

sly e

xpos

ed to

th

e ty

pe o

f con

tent

and

skill

s mea

sure

d by

the

ILSA

.

Stud

ents

had

lim

ited

prev

ious

exp

osur

e to

the

type

of c

onte

nt a

nd sk

ills

mea

sure

d by

the

ILSA

.

Stud

ents

had

suffi

cien

t pre

viou

s ex

posu

re to

the

type

of c

onte

nt a

nd sk

ills

mea

sure

d by

the

ILSA

.

Stu

dent

s had

ext

ensiv

e pr

evio

us

expo

sure

to th

e ty

pe o

f con

tent

and

skill

s m

easu

red

by th

e IL

SA.11

The

ILSA

was

not

cons

isten

t with

the

coun

try'

s oth

er a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es.

The

ILSA

was

min

imal

ly co

nsist

ent w

ith

the

coun

try'

s oth

er a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es.

The

ILSA

was

gen

eral

ly co

nsist

ent w

ith

the

coun

try'

s oth

er a

sses

smen

t ac

tiviti

es.12

The

ILSA

was

fully

cons

isten

t with

the

coun

try'

s oth

er a

sses

smen

t act

iviti

es.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

45

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y De

gree

to w

hich

the

asse

ssm

ent m

eets

tech

nica

l qua

lity

stan

dard

s, is

fair

and

is us

ed in

an

effe

ctiv

e w

ay.

LATE

NT

EMER

GIN

G ES

TABL

ISH

ED

ADVA

NCE

D

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 1:

En

suri

ng th

e te

chni

cal q

ualit

y of

the

ILSA

Th

e co

untr

y di

d no

t mee

t suf

ficie

nt

tech

nica

l sta

ndar

ds to

hav

e its

dat

a pr

esen

ted

in th

e in

tern

atio

nal r

epor

t or

an a

nnex

.

The

coun

try

met

suffi

cien

t tec

hnica

l st

anda

rds t

o ha

ve it

s dat

a pr

esen

ted

bene

ath

the

mai

n di

spla

y of

the

inte

rnat

iona

l rep

ort o

r in

an a

nnex

.

The

coun

try

met

all

tech

nica

l sta

ndar

ds

requ

ired

to h

ave

its d

ata

pres

ente

d in

th

e m

ain

disp

lays

of t

he in

tern

atio

nal

repo

rt. 1

3

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

ASSE

SSM

ENT

QU

ALIT

Y 2:

En

suri

ng e

ffect

ive

uses

of I

LSA

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

not d

issem

inat

ed in

the

coun

try.

14

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

diss

emin

ated

usin

g at

leas

t one

co

mm

unica

tion

stra

tegy

.

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

diss

emin

ated

usin

g so

me

com

mun

icatio

n st

rate

gies

.

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

diss

emin

ated

usin

g a

varie

ty o

f co

mm

unica

tion

stra

tegi

es, i

nclu

ding

di

ssem

inat

ion

to m

ost s

choo

ls.

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

not c

over

ed b

y m

edia

in th

e co

untr

y.

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

cove

red

by o

ne m

edia

out

let i

n th

e co

untr

y.

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

cove

red

by so

me

med

ia o

utle

ts in

the

coun

try.

Coun

try

resu

lts a

nd in

form

atio

n w

ere

cove

red

by a

var

iety

of m

edia

out

lets

in

the

coun

try.

Resu

lts fr

om th

e IL

SA h

ave

not b

een

used

to in

form

dec

ision

mak

ing.

Re

sults

from

the

ILSA

hav

e be

en u

sed

in

a ve

ry li

mite

d w

ay to

info

rm d

ecisi

on

mak

ing

in th

e co

untr

y.

Resu

lts fr

om th

e IL

SA h

ave

been

use

d in

so

me

way

s to

info

rm d

ecisi

on m

akin

g in

th

e co

untr

y.

Resu

lts fr

om th

e IL

SA h

ave

been

use

d in

a

varie

ty o

f way

s to

info

rm d

ecisi

on

mak

ing

in th

e co

untr

y.

Ther

e is

no cl

ear e

vide

nce

or c

onse

nsus

ab

out t

he p

ositi

ve im

pact

of t

he IL

SA o

n ed

ucat

ion

qual

ity.

This

optio

n do

es n

ot a

pply

to th

is di

men

sion.

Th

ere

is a

gene

ral c

onse

nsus

abo

ut th

e po

sitiv

e im

pact

of t

he IL

SA o

n ed

ucat

ion

qual

ity.

Ther

e is

evid

ence

of t

he p

ositi

ve im

pact

of

the

ILSA

on

educ

atio

n qu

ality

.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

46

Inte

rnat

iona

l Lar

ge S

cale

Ass

essm

ent (

ILSA

): Developmen

t-level rating j

ustifications

1. S

amoa

has

par

ticip

ated

in a

n IL

SA in

the

last

10

year

s, bu

t has

not

com

plet

ed th

e en

tire

asse

ssm

ent r

ound

. It h

as n

ot c

ompl

eted

an

ILSA

thro

ugh

to th

e fin

al

phas

e of

repo

rtin

g an

d co

mm

unica

ting

the

asse

ssm

ent r

esul

ts to

stak

ehol

ders

. 2.

Sam

oa p

artic

ipat

ed in

the

Pacif

ic Isl

and

Liter

acy

and

Num

erac

y As

sess

men

t (PI

LNA)

for 2

012,

in w

hich

14

coun

trie

s in

the

Pacif

ic re

gion

par

ticip

ated

. 3.

The

re w

as n

o co

untr

y-le

vel p

olicy

doc

umen

t in

Sam

oa th

at a

ddre

ssed

par

ticip

atio

n in

the

ILSA

; how

ever

, the

Sec

reta

riat o

f the

Pac

ific

Boar

d fo

r Edu

catio

nal

Asse

ssm

ent (

SPBE

A), a

regi

onal

bod

y, re

ceiv

ed a

regi

onal

man

date

from

the

Pacif

ic Fo

rum

Edu

catio

n M

inist

ers M

eetin

g (F

EdM

M) i

n 20

06 to

dev

elop

the

PILN

A.

4. T

here

was

fund

ing

allo

cate

d by

don

ors.

5.

Fun

ding

was

allo

cate

d by

the

Aust

ralia

n Ai

d Pr

ogra

mm

e an

d Se

cret

aria

t of t

he P

acifi

c Boa

rd fo

r Edu

catio

nal A

sses

smen

t (SP

BEA)

. 6.

The

ILSA

fund

ing

cove

red

mos

t cor

e ite

ms,

inclu

ding

impl

emen

tatio

n of

the

asse

ssm

ent e

xerc

ise in

the

coun

try,

and

pro

cess

ing

and

anal

yzin

g of

dat

a co

llect

ed.

In a

dditi

on, f

undi

ng c

over

ed re

port

ing

and

diss

emin

atin

g th

e as

sess

men

t res

ults

in th

e co

untr

y an

d at

tend

ance

at i

nter

natio

nal m

eetin

gs. I

LSA

fund

ing

did

not

cove

r int

erna

tiona

l par

ticip

atio

n fe

es, r

esea

rch

and

deve

lopm

ent,

or st

aff s

alar

ies.

7.

The

re w

as a

nat

iona

l coo

rdin

ator

for t

he P

ILNA

in S

amoa

, a S

choo

l Coo

rdin

ator

who

man

aged

the

adm

inist

ratio

n at

the

scho

ol le

vel f

or se

lect

ed sc

hool

s, an

d Te

st S

uper

viso

rs, t

each

ers

who

adm

inist

ered

the

ass

essm

ent

at t

he c

lass

room

leve

l in

sele

cted

sch

ools.

In

add

ition

, for

eac

h as

sess

men

t ar

ea, l

itera

cy a

nd

num

erac

y, th

ere

was

a p

anel

resp

onsib

le fo

r mar

king

the

asse

ssm

ents

. Alth

ough

this

was

the

first

tim

e th

at th

is te

am w

as in

char

ge o

f an

ILSA

, the

re w

ere

min

imal

qu

ality

pro

blem

s id

entif

ied

with

car

ryin

g ou

t the

PIL

NA in

Sam

oa. F

or e

xam

ple,

it w

as n

oted

that

ther

e w

ere

dela

ys in

dat

a pr

oces

sing

and

scor

ing

whi

ch w

as

larg

ely

due

to C

yclo

ne E

van,

whi

ch st

ruck

in D

ecem

ber 2

012.

8.

The

ILSA

uni

t had

up-

to-d

ate

com

pute

rs fo

r all

tech

nica

l sta

ff, to

p-le

vel s

ecur

ity a

nd s

tora

ge fa

ciliti

es, a

nd u

p-to

-dat

e co

mpu

ter s

erve

rs a

nd c

omm

unica

tion

tool

s.

9. IL

SA te

am m

embe

rs a

nd a

sses

smen

t spe

cialis

ts w

ere

able

to b

enef

it fro

m o

ppor

tuni

ties t

o le

arn

abou

t the

PIL

NA d

urin

g pr

esen

tatio

ns h

eld

at th

e M

ESC.

Key

pe

rson

nel a

lso p

artic

ipat

ed in

wor

ksho

ps o

rgan

ized

by th

e SP

BEA

for

all P

ILNA

par

ticip

atin

g co

untr

ies.

In a

dditi

on, t

he S

PBEA

pro

vide

d in

-cou

ntry

trai

ning

on

scor

ing

to sc

orer

s.

10. T

he P

ILNA

was

alig

ned

with

con

tent

and

ski

lls a

reas

of S

amoa

's of

ficia

l lea

rnin

g go

als

or c

urric

ulum

. In

addi

tion,

the

PIL

NA w

as a

ligne

d w

ith p

edag

ogica

l ap

proa

ches

or a

ctiv

ities

com

patib

le w

ith S

amoa

's of

ficia

l lea

rnin

g go

als o

r cur

ricul

um.

11. I

n Sa

moa

, tex

tboo

k an

d le

arni

ng re

sour

ces,

as w

ell a

s te

ache

rs, c

over

con

tent

and

ski

lls s

imila

r to

thos

e co

vere

d by

the

PILN

A. F

urth

erm

ore,

stu

dent

s ar

e ex

pose

d to

cont

ent a

nd sk

ills m

ore

adva

nced

than

that

cove

red

by th

e PI

LNA.

SAM

OA

ǀ SAB

ER-S

TUDE

NT A

SSES

SMEN

T

SA

BER

COUN

TRY

REPO

RT |2

014

SYST

EMS

APPR

OAC

H FO

R BE

TTER

EDU

CATI

ON

RESU

LTS

47

12. I

t is u

ncle

ar w

heth

er th

e IL

SA is

fully

con

siste

nt w

ith c

lass

room

ass

essm

ent p

ract

ices s

ince

they

are

con

duct

ed a

t the

sch

ool l

evel

and

can

be

dive

rse

acro

ss

scho

ols.

How

ever

, the

ILSA

was

fully

cons

isten

t with

the

natio

nal l

arge

-sca

le a

sses

smen

t in

Sam

oa.

13. S

amoa

has

com

plie

d w

ith a

ll te

chni

cal s

tand

ards

, and

it is

exp

ecte

d th

at it

s res

ults

will

be

pres

ente

d in

the

mai

n se

ctio

n of

the

PILN

A in

tern

atio

nal r

epor

t.

14. S

ince

PIL

NA re

sults

hav

e no

t yet

bee

n ap

prov

ed b

y th

e FE

dMM

, the

y ha

ve n

ot b

een

diss

emin

ated

in S

amoa

.

SAMOA ǀ SABER-STUDENT ASSESSMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014

SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS

48

Acknowledgements This report was prepared by The World Bank SABER-Student Assessment team in collaboration with Clark Matthews (World Bank Consultant). The report benefitted from the data collection efforts and insight of Adrian Alamu (PaBER Assessment Officer, South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment) and Seema Prasad (PaBER Assessment Officer, South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment), as well as input from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport of Samoa.

References Clarke, M. 2012. “What Matters Most for Student Assessment Systems: A Framework Paper.” READ/SABER Working Paper Series. Washington, DC: World Bank. Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture. 2006. “Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture: Strategic Policies and Plan: July 2006-June 2015.” Apia, Samoa. Data retrieved from http://www.mesc.gov.ws/pdf/STR_PLAN_FIN_060616.pdf on January 2, 2014.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - International Bureau of Education. 2011. “World Data on Education: Samoa.” VII Ed., 2010/11. Geneva, Switzerland. Data retrieved from http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/WDE/2010/pdf-versions/Samoa.pdf on January 2, 2014.

World Bank. 2012. Samoa Country Indicator Data. Washington, DC: World Bank. Data retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/ on January 2, 2014.

- - - . 2012. Samoa-Country Partnership Strategy for the Period FY2012-FY2016. Report No. 67194-WS. Washington, DC: World Bank.

SAMOA ǀ SABER-STUDENT ASSESSMENT SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2014

SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS49

The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiative produces comparative data and knowledge on education policies and institutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthen their education systems. SABER evaluates the quality of education policies against evidence-based global standards, using new diagnostic tools and detailed policy data. The SABER country reports give all parties with a stake in educational results—from administrators, teachers, and parents to policymakers and business people—an accessible, objective snapshot showing how well the policies of their country's education system are oriented toward ensuring that all children and youth learn. This report focuses specifically on policies in the area of student assessment.

This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.

www.worldbank.org/education/saber