THE CHALLENGE:
Given limited resources, provide policymakers in Peru and Jamaica with policy interventions to improve student reading scores.
THE SOLUTION:
Among other things, data showed that only 31% of first graders had textbooks, only 12% of schools had a library, less than half of teachers had sufficient teaching experience, and many schools had overcrowded classes.
Relying on such data and discussions with policymakers, we developed a model that graphically displayed critical factors and the causal chains leading to learning outcomes. Causal Links then developed the Policymakers’ Workbench, a tool that uses probabilistic techniques and research evidence to predict the impact of various interventions on learning outcomes.
THE IMPACT:
Using the Policymakers’ Workbench tool, policymakers were able to consider the impact of various changes to resources, instructional practices, and combinations of other possible interventions. By considering the likely impact