title: Evaluating school and parent reports of the national student achievement testing system (SIMCE) in Chile: access, comprehension, and use.
abstract: This evaluation examined school and parent reports of the national student achievement testing system (SIMCE) in Chile regarding three dimensions: access, comprehension, and use. We conducted phone surveys with a representative sample of directors (N=375), teachers (N=1145) and parents (N=625), and we collected more in-depth data through interviews and focus groups in 16 of these schools. The results indicate that access to the reports is not an obstacle to use for school actors, but it is for parents. While summative ratings of the reports in terms of their clarity and utility were generally very positive, the actual recall and interpretation of even basic information (assessed through case scenarios) was incorrect for a majority of teachers and parents, and reported uses of the information were both intended and unintended in nature. We also found some statistically significant differences regarding comprehension and use among subgroups of our sample. Our findings are especially relevant given the expectations attached to the use of the reports for school improvement on the one hand, and parents' behavior as critical consumers of education on the other hand.
authors.affiliation: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. staut@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taut
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cortés
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sebastian
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Preiss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile; D032882:Comprehension; D003625:Data Collection; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010290:Parents; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*