ABSTRACT
A considerable body of evidence exists concerning the important influence of different student intake and school factors on student attainment outcomes. Therefore, it is important to consider whether these factors are outside the control of the school and, if so, how they can be taken into account when evaluating school performance in low-income countries. Value added methods are widely regarded as providing fairer and more accurate measures of school effectiveness than the raw results. The methodology involves comparing different models to separate out the effect of the school experience on individual student outcomes and the extent to which student intake characteristics affect student outcomes. Drawing on school and educational effectiveness research paradigms, the calculation of value added measures requires the collection and analysis of comprehensive and longitudinal datasets in a common format across all schools either regionally or nationally.
