Research suggests that teacher quality is the main school-based predictor of student achievement and that several consecutive years of outstanding teaching can offset the learning deficits of disadvantaged students (Hanushek and Rivkin, 2006
Nye et al, 2004
Park and Hannum, 2001
Rivkin et al, 2005
Rockoff, 2004
Sanders, 1998
Sanders and Rivers 1996
and Vignoles et al, 2000). However, it is not yet clear exactly which teacher policies can raise teacher effectiveness (Goldhaber, 2002 and Rivkin et al, 2005). Thus, devising effective policies to improve teaching quality remains a challenge. There is increasing interest across the globe to attract, retain, develop and motivate great teachers. While the World Bank has ample experience in supporting teacher policy reforms in developing countries, until recently there was no systematic effort to offer data and analysis that can provide policy guidance on teacher policies. The focus of the initiative is the design of teacher policies as opposed to their implementation on the ground. A number of complementary activities will be looking at implementation in a sample of countries as this will involve a different methodological approach and will require more financial and human resources.