80063 Serbia SABER Country Report TEACHERS 2012 Policy Goals Status 1. Setting Clear Expectations for Teachers Authorities clearly state teacher and student expectations, and provide some time for teachers to prepare lessons and other duties. 2. Attracting the Best into Teaching Teacher-student ratios and opportunities for advancement make the career attractive, but teacher pay does not vary with performance. 3. Preparing Teachers with Useful Training and Experience Current policies prepare aspiring teachers by requiring advanced pre-service training and practical experience before entering the profession. 4. Matching Teachers’ Skills with Students’ Needs While policies identify critical shortage subjects, they do not identify hard-to- staff schools or provide incentives for teachers to work at either. Policies do allow transfer decisions to be based on school needs. 5. Leading Teachers with Strong Principals Policies require that principals support instruction quality, but do not ensure principals receive practical experience in their training or receive performance incentives. 6. Monitoring Teaching and Learning Policies call for teacher monitoring by principals and national authorities, though there are no systems to track teacher performance over time. 7. Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction Minimal professional development is required of current teachers, and professional development does not make use of more effective techniques such as peer learning or mentoring. 8. Motivating Teachers to Perform Teachers can be dismissed for misbehavior, but teacher performance does not inform hiring, and performance and compensation are not linked. THE WORLD BANK SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 Overview of SABER-Teachers Box 1. Teacher policy areas for data collection There is increasing interest across the globe in 1. Requirements to enter and remain in teaching attracting, retaining, developing, and motivating great 2. Initial teacher education teachers. Student achievement has been found to correlate with economic and social progress (Hanushek 3. Recruitment and employment & Woessmann 2007, 2009; Pritchett & Viarengo 2009; 4. Teachers’ workload and autonomy Campante & Glaeser 2009), and teachers are key: recent studies have shown that teacher quality is the 5. Professional development main school-based predictor of student achievement 6. Compensation (salary and non-salary benefits) and that several consecutive years of outstanding teaching can offset the learning deficits of 7. Retirement rules and benefits disadvantaged students (Hanushek & Rivkin 2010; 8. Monitoring and evaluation of teacher quality Rivkin, et al. 2005; Nye et al. 2004; Rockoff 2004; Park & Hannum 2001; Sanders & Rivers 1996). However, 9. Teacher representation and voice achieving the right teacher policies to ensure that every 10. School leadership classroom has a motivated, supported, and competent teacher remains a challenge, because evidence on the impacts of many teacher policies remains insufficient and scattered, the impact of many reforms depends on ensures comparability of information across different specific design features, and teacher policies can have education systems. Data collection focuses on the rules very different impacts depending on the context and and regulations governing teacher management other education policies in place. systems. This information is compiled in a comparative database where interested stakeholders can access A new tool, SABER-Teachers, aims to help fill this gap detailed information organized along relevant by collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and categories that describe how different education disseminating comprehensive information on teacher systems manage their teacher force, as well as copies of policies in primary and secondary education systems supporting documents. The full database is available at around the world. SABER-Teachers is a core component the SABER-Teacher website. of SABER (Systems Approach for Better Education To offer informed policy guidance, SABER-Teachers Results), an initiative launched by the Human Development Network of the World Bank. SABER analyzes the information collected to assess the extent collects information about different education systems’ to which the teacher policies of an education system policy domains, analyzes it to identify common are aligned with those policies that the research challenges and promising solutions, and makes it widely evidence to date has shown to have a positive effect available to inform countries’ decisions on where and on student achievement. SABER-Teachers analyzes the how to invest in order to improve education quality. teacher policy data collected to assess each education system’s progress in achieving 8 Teacher Policy Goals: 1. SABER-Teachers collects data on ten core teacher Setting clear expectations for teachers; 2. Attracting the best into teaching; 3. Preparing teachers with useful policy areas to offer a comprehensive descriptive overview of the teacher policies that are in place in training and experience; 4. Matching teachers’ skills each participating education system (see Box 1). Data with students’ needs; 5. Leading teachers with strong are collected in each participating education system by principals; 6. Monitoring teaching and learning; 7. Supporting teachers to improve instruction; and 8. a specialized consultant using a questionnaire that Motivating teachers to perform (see Figure 1). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 levers (actions that governments can take to reach these goals) and indicators (which measure the extent Figure 1: 8 Teacher Policy Goals to which governments are making effective use of these policy levers). Using these policy levers and indicators, SABER-Teachers classifies education systems’ performance on each of the eight teacher policy goals using a four-category scale (latent, emerging, established, and advanced), which describes the extent to which a given education system has in place teacher policies that are known to be related to improved student outcomes. The main objective of this assessment is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the teacher policies of an education system and pinpoint possible areas for improvement. For a more detailed report on the eight teacher policy goals, policy levers and indicators, as well as the evidence base supporting them, see Vegas et al. (2012). The main focus of SABER-Teachers is on policy design, rather than on policy implementation. SABER-Teachers analyzes the teacher policies formally adopted by The 8 Teacher Policy Goals are functions that all high- education systems. However, policies “on the ground”, performing education systems fulfill to a certain extent that is, policies as they are actually implemented, may in order to ensure that every classroom has a differ quite substantially from policies as originally motivated, supported, and competent teacher. These designed, and in fact they often do so, due to the goals were identified through a review of evidence of political economy of the reform process, lack of capacity research studies on teacher policies, and the analysis of of the organizations in charge of implementing them, or policies of top-performing and rapidly improving the interaction between these policies and specific education systems. Three criteria were used to identify contextual factors. Since SABER-Teachers collects them: teacher policy goals had to be (i) linked to limited data on policy implementation, the assessment student performance through empirical evidence, (ii) a of teacher policies presented in this report needs to be priority for resource allocation, and (iii) actionable, that complemented with detailed information that describes is, actions governments can take to improve education the actual configuration of teacher policies on the policy. The eight teacher policy goals exclude other ground. objectives that countries might want to pursue to increase the effectiveness of their teachers, but on This report presents results of the application of which there is to date insufficient empirical evidence to SABER-Teachers in Serbia. It describes Serbia’s make specific policy recommendations. performance in each of the 8 Teacher Policy Goals, alongside comparative information from education By classifying countries according to their performance systems that have consistently scored high results in on each of the 8 Teacher Policy Goals, SABER-Teachers international student achievement tests and have can help diagnose the key challenges that countries participated in SABER-Teachers. Additional detailed face in ensuring they have effective teachers. For each descriptive information on Serbia’s and other education policy goal, the SABER-Teachers team identified policy systems’ teacher policies can be found on the SABER- Teachers website. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 3 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 Serbia’s Teacher Policy System Results Teachers particularly need enough time to complete all tasks outside of class time (Figure 3). In high-performing Goal 1: Setting clear expectations for systems, up to 50 percent of teachers’ work time is for teachers conducting tasks other than teaching. High-performers such as Japan focus most of the non-teaching time on Established professional development and curriculum planning. Serbia’s policies are similar: teachers are expected to Clear expectations guide teachers’ work. Expectations devote 60 percent of their working time to teaching, 30 for student and teacher performance influence how percent to preparing lessons, 5 percent to potential entrants perceive the profession. The clearer administrative duties, and the remainder to these expectations are, the more likely a school system extracurricular tasks. is to get the type of teacher it seeks. Second, expectations guide teachers’ work. The more specified Figure 2. Teachers’ official tasks related to they are, the better teachers can organize their time instructional improvement and resources to meet them. Finally, expectations can Singapore help align the goals of different key aspects of the Shanghai profession (e.g., pre-service training, professional Serbia Japan development and teacher appraisals). The more institutionalized these expectations are, the more likely all of these aspects will be working towards a common purpose and thus the more likely it will be achieved. Mentor peers    SABER - Teachers considers two policy levers school Collaborate on school plan     systems can use to reach this goal: (1) expectations for what students should know and be able to do, and how Design the curriculum   teachers can help students reach these goals; (2) useful guidance on teachers’ use of time to be able to improve Participate in school evaluation    Source: SABER-Teachers data instruction at the school level (Figure 2). Figure 3. Official Time Spent Teaching (1) In Serbia, there are clear expectations for what 70% Primary Secondary students and teachers are supposed to do. Serbia has 60% 60% 60% defined a set of national standards that inform teachers 50% 50% of required subject content and measurable indicators 40% 37% 37% of learning that should be achieved by students at 30% 32% 33% 33% 20% different grades. In addition, the tasks that teachers are 10% expected to carry out are officially defined, and the 0% standards recognize the diversity of important teacher Serbia Japan South Korea Hungary tasks outside of basic instruction. Source: SABER-Teacher Data (2) Policies recognize the diversity of teacher tasks and provide time to complete them. Laws and regulations Goal 2: Attracting the best into teaching in Serbia recognize the diverse tasks of teachers. Teachers are expected to teach, supervise students, Emerging  grade assessments, integrate student populations, stand in for absent teachers, mentor teachers, The structure and characteristics of the teaching career participate in administrative tasks, collaborate in school can make it more or less attractive for talented planning, and take part in internal evaluations. individuals to decide to become teachers. Talented people may be more inclined to become teachers if they see that entry requirements are on par with those SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 4 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 of well-regarded professions, if compensation and Figure 4. Requirements to enter the profession working conditions are adequate, and if there are Singapore Shanghai attractive career opportunities for them to develop as Turkey Serbia professionals. Japan SABER-Teachers considers four policy levers school systems can use to reach this goal: (1) requirements to Pass written test    enter the teaching profession; (2) competitive pay; (3) appealing working conditions; and (4) attractive career Interview-stage assessment    opportunities (Figure 4). Minimal practical experience    Practical experience (1) In Serbia, teachers are required to have an assessment    advanced degree, but there are no other meaningful Source: SABER-Teachers data requirements to meet. In Serbia, secondary school teachers are required to complete a bachelor’s degree, and primary school teachers are required to complete a the prestige of the profession. In Shanghai, talented bachelor’s degree and additional teacher-specific members of the profession may later become coursework. Despite a rigorous education requirement, administrative and academic leaders. Similarly, in teachers are not required to complete any other Serbia, teachers may apply to become principals and requirements to become a teacher, such as completing lead teachers, and career advancement is influenced by a written examination, interview, or practical past teacher performance, which is likely to improve assessment or have prior classroom experience. teaching. (2) With only one path to enter the profession, Serbia may be limiting the pool of potential teachers. In Goal 3: Preparing teachers with useful Serbia, all teachers must pass through a consecutive training and experience training model, whether they are beginning their careers or are experienced non-teaching professionals. Advanced  Successful education systems offer alternative paths to the profession for mid-career professionals, which Teachers need to be equipped with the skills they need include tailored curriculum or different requirements. to be effective in the classroom. Few individuals are Teacher compensation includes benefits but does not born effective teachers. Teachers need subject matter vary with performance: it is set by a pay scale that does knowledge, classroom management skills, and lots of not take into account a teacher’s effort or results. As a practice in order to be successful in a classroom (Figure result, candidates who could be tomorrow’s high- 5). In addition, good preparation puts teachers on a performing teachers may instead enter professions that more equal footing, giving them all a common explicitly reward hard work or high performance. framework to improve their practice. (3) Working conditions are unattractive. Working SABER - Teachers considers two policy levers school conditions, such as student-teacher ratios and physical systems can use to reach this goal: (1) minimum conditions play a role in job satisfaction. While there are standards for pre-service training programs; (2) standards of infrastructure in Serbia, only 35 percent of required classroom experience for all teachers. school buildings meet these requirements. Future teachers may prefer to go work in professions in more (1) Serbia requires new teachers to obtain substantial attractive environments. training, although pre-service training is not regulated. Although there is a law that requires a minimum (4) Effective teachers have opportunities to grow and amount of pre-service training, no policies for advance in their careers. Opportunities for growth over accreditation or detailing yet exist. Teacher training a lifetime attract talented people to the career and raise colleges are not yet required to undergo certification. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 5 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 Goal 4: Matching teachers’ skills with Those who want to become a primary or secondary students’ needs school teacher are required to complete coursework beyond a bachelor’s degree. However, there are no Emerging  official criteria or recommendations for how much time teachers must dedicate to pedagogy theory, instruction Ensuring that teachers work in schools where their skills methods, or subject content. Entrance to teacher are most needed is important for promoting equity and preparation programs is not very selective; in 2011, efficiency. Strategic teacher deployment is a way to ensure there were 1061 applicants to teacher education all students in an education system have an equal programs and 908 (86%) gained entry (Figure 6). Entry is opportunity to learn. Without purposeful incentives, not determined by needs of the teaching profession. teachers tend to gravitate towards schools with better working conditions, which often serve students already (2) Teacher entrants are now required to have performing well (Boyd, et al. 2005a; Hanushek, et al. practical experience through a mentoring program. 2004). Second, it is a way of ensuring teachers are Research has shown that practical experience is an distributed efficiently—i.e., to minimize the number of important factor in teaching quality. The more practical surplus teachers at a given grade, subject, or geographic experience teacher entrants have, the better prepared area. Finally, ensuring teachers are a good match for their they will be for their job. In Serbia, recent reforms school can also increase their effectiveness and reduce require teachers to obtain practical experience as part turnover rates (Boyd, et al. 2002, 2005b; Jackson 2010). of their training. Once they are fully implemented, these reforms could make teachers more effective in SABER - Teachers considers two policy levers school the classroom and reduce turnover. systems can use to reach this goal: (1) incentives for teachers to work in hard-to-staff schools; and (2) Figure 5. Models of teacher training incentives for teachers to teach critical shortage areas. Singapore Shanghai (1) Serbia has some policies (though no incentives) to Serbia Japan ensure that quality teachers are strategically deployed. Many systems find it hard to attract effective teachers to hard-to-staff schools, which often serve students Concurrent Model   from disadvantaged populations. To improve distribution, systems use various incentives (Figure 7). Consecutive Model    Figure 7. Incentives for teachers to teach Alternative Model  in hard-to-staff schools Source: SABER-Teachers data. Shanghai Serbia Korea Japan Figure 6. Percent of applicants admitted to teacher preparation programs 100% 17% Promotion opportunities    80% 60% Higher basic salary  86% 40% 83% Monetary bonus  20% Subsidized education  0% 14% Housing support   Singapore Serbia Source: SABER-Teachers data. Note: Singapore has no specific Not Accepted Accepted incentives to attract qualified teachers to hard-to-staff schools, but it instead maintains a centrally managed teacher deployment Source: SABER-Teacher data. system to ensure an equitable and efficient distribution of teachers. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 6 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 While Serbia lacks any such career or financial incentives for teachers in hard-to-staff schools, its SABER - Teachers considers two policy levers school transfer policy may support equitable distribution. In systems can use to reach this goal: (1) education other education systems that use seniority as a basis for system’s investment in developing qualified school approving transfer requests, seasoned teachers often leaders; (2) decision-making authority for school transfer from hard-to-staff schools, leaving less principals to support and improve instructional practice. experienced and potentially less capable teachers at underserved schools. In Serbia, by contrast, transfers (1) In Serbia, principals must complete specific are based not on teacher experience but on individually coursework, but they may lack practical experience. To determined school needs, according to policy. ensure principals are trained at their job, they must have a minimum number of 3 years of professional (2) Serbia has formally identified subjects with an teaching experience, possess a degree beyond a insufficient supply of teachers, but it has limited bachelor’s degree and complete a written test. means to redress shortages. In almost all countries, However, their preparation does not require any teachers of certain subjects are in particularly high practical learning experience, such as an internship or demand. Respondents in Serbia identified a shortage of taking part in an induction program. While principals teachers in mathematics and foreign languages, may have the skills that can be taught in a classroom, especially English. While the government recognizes they may lack the practical experience needed to be these shortages, it does not provide incentives to effective. Some high-performing systems require attract more teachers and increase the supply of participation in an internship or mentoring program to teachers of those subjects. High-performing systems help administrators be practiced when principals start identify and monitor shortage subjects, and use their job (Figure 8). Additionally, some high-performing incentives to attract teachers to them. For example, systems provide incentives for principals to improve when the United Kingdom faced shortages of school quality, which is not the case for Serbia. mathematics and science teachers, they offered payments to people studying to become teachers in (2) Principals are expected to support teachers in those subjects to defray education costs (OECD, 2011). improving their instruction. More than just administrators, effective principals support teachers in their work. Principals in Serbia are explicitly expected to Goal 5: Leading teachers with strong support teachers to improve instruction and their principals classroom practice. Principals are expected to serve as leaders in their schools, and take part in teacher and Emerging school evaluations, enumerating teacher responsibilities. The quality of school leaders is second only to classroom teaching as a predictor of student learning Figure 8. Mechanisms to support the development of (Eberts & Stone 1988; Leithwood, et al. 2006). Quality principals’ leadership skills principals attract and retain quality teachers (Boyd, et al. 2009; Ingersoll 2001a, 2001b; Papa Jr., Lankford & Singapore Shanghai Wyckoff 2002). In addition, capable principals can Serbia Korea Japan spearhead much-needed change at the school level, so having strong leaders is important not only to ensure acceptable levels of performance but also to drive improvements. Finally, good principals can facilitate Specific Coursework      teachers’ work and continuous improvement. The more capable a principal is, the more he or she can support Internship     teachers, create a sense of community, make teachers Mentoring program     feel valued and ease their anxiety about external Source: SABER-Teachers data pressures (Mulford 2003). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 7 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 Goal 6: Monitoring teaching and learning most effective evaluation methods make use of student achievement data and external evaluators. Established  In Serbia, a variety of criteria are used to assess teacher Assessing teacher effectiveness is essential to devise performance. These include subject matter knowledge, strategies for improving learning outcomes. First, teaching methods, student assessment methods, and teacher and student evaluations help identify good student academic achievement. practices, which can then be shared among the teaching staff to improve school performance. Second, Figure 9. Criteria to evaluate teacher performance identifying low-performing teachers and students is Singapore Shanghai necessary to support them in a timely manner. Serbia Korea Japan Education systems need to be able to know when to provide struggling classrooms with adequate support to improve. Finally, such information is useful for accountability purposes. Required performance evaluations      Performance monitored by SABER - Teachers considers three policy levers school authorities      systems can use to reach this goal: (1) availability of data on student achievement in order to inform Teachers can be tracked over time     teaching and policy; (2) adequate systems to monitor Source: SABER-Teachers data teacher performance; (3) multiple mechanisms to evaluate teacher performance. Goal 7: Supporting teachers to improve (1) There are few methods to monitor student instruction performance throughout the system. National student assessments can help authorities identify student Latent  groups, schools, and classes that are in need of attention. In Serbia, the only national assessment is the Helping teachers be more effective in the classroom is final examination at age 14. While this assessment vital. All teachers can improve, regardless of how allows student scores to be tracked to teachers, earlier effective they are at one point in time. Support assessments could help identify struggling individual mechanisms are necessary to help teachers reach their and groups of students in need of greater teacher potential and perform at their best. Thus, during training or more focused or tailored resources. periods of transitions, teachers will need additional help to sustain their performance. Finally, support (2) There are some systems in place to monitor teacher mechanisms can go a long way in preventing burnout performance. In Serbia, official policy requires teachers and reducing turnover. Even motivated teachers may to participate regularly in internal performance choose to leave if they are consistently ineffective, do evaluations, but the results of teacher performance not know how to improve and receive little support. evaluations cannot be tracked over time. It is not known whether these policies are put into practice. SABER - Teachers considers three policy levers school systems can use to reach this goal: (1) availability of Few mechanisms are used to evaluate teacher teacher professional development opportunities; (2) performance. Research suggests that no single method activities that are focused on collaboration and of evaluating teacher performance is failsafe. Most instructional improvement; (3) making sure teacher high-performing systems conduct teacher evaluations professional development is assigned based on needs. using a multiplicity of mechanisms of data collection and varied criteria for assessment (Figure 9). In Serbia, (1) Teachers are required to take part in only a short performance evaluations include only self-assessments, period of professional development. Teachers in Serbia principals, and classroom observation as sources. The are required to take part in 20 hours of professional SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 8 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 development annually. Given the returns to effective professional development, Serbia would likely benefit Goal 8: Motivating teachers to perform from increasing the number of required hours. The topics covered in professional development in top Latent  systems include instructional practice, classroom management, and content knowledge (Figure 10). Adequate incentives for teachers can contribute to effective teaching and learning. First, incentives are a Figure 10. Professional development techniques used way for school systems to signal their seriousness in that focus on instructional improvement achieving certain goals. The more aligned incentives are with the behaviors and outcomes they want to produce Singapore in teaching, the more likely they will obtain them. Shanghai Serbia Second, incentives are also a way to recognize teachers’ Japan work. Teaching is a challenging job and incentives can let teachers know the results they have achieved are Observation visits    valued so that they continue working hard to sustain them. Finally, some types of incentives can also Teacher networks    influence the profile of the teaching profession and School networks    make it more competitive, dynamic, and performance- driven. Research   Mentoring/coaching    SABER - Teachers considers three policy levers school Source: SABER-Teachers data systems can use to reach this goal: (1) linking career opportunities to teachers’ performance; (2) having (2) Serbia’s policies do not generally prioritize the mechanisms to hold teachers accountable; (3) linking more highly effective mediums of professional teacher compensation to performance. development. Research suggests that effective teacher professional development is collaborative and provides (1) Hiring practices are not informed by performance opportunities for the analysis in-situ of instructional during probation, though promotions are affected by practice, as opposed to one-time workshops or performance. To ensure teachers are capable before conferences. Methods used in Serbia’s activities do not granting them long-term contracts, authorities need include trainings that focus on improving teacher both a probation period upon initial hires and the right practice by incorporating classroom observation and to not offer long-term contracts to teachers who do not evaluation of teacher competencies into professional perform during the probation period. In Serbia, there is development, nor do they include teacher peer learning a mandatory probation period, but performance on the within the schools. High-performing systems use job does not factor into whether teachers receive professional development activities that are practice- appointments. Promotions decisions, on the other oriented, such as teacher networks, visits to observe hand, are informed by past performance. highly effective teachers, and mentoring or coaching opportunities. (2) There are only minimal mechanisms to hold teachers accountable (Figure 11). Requiring teachers to (3) Teacher professional development is not assigned meet some standards in order to remain in the teaching based on perceived needs. To ensure support is profession can facilitate the removal of ineffective customized to each teacher’s needs, high-performing teachers. In Serbia, primary and secondary school systems use performance evaluations to develop teachers are required to participate in professional customized professional development plans or assign development and performance evaluations as a mentors. In Serbia, by contrast, evaluations do not requisite to maintain their credentials. In addition, inform professional development nor result in being teachers can be dismissed for misconduct or child assigned a supervisor. abuse. However, they cannot be dismissed for absenteeism, incompetence, or poor performance. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 9 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 Figure 11. Mechanisms to hold teachers accountable Singapore Shanghai Serbia Korea Japan Open-ended contracts   Teacher compensation    Promotions     Source: SABER-Teachers data (3) Teacher compensation is not linked to performance. To align teacher incentives, systems that are most effective at motivating teachers provide incentives to perform well such as performance bonuses or performance-linked salary increases. In Serbia, high-performing teachers do not receive bonuses as rewards for their work, nor do the results of teachers’ performance evaluations affect their salaries. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 10 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 Policy Options Goal 8: Motivating teachers to perform This SABER country report has offered a snapshot of Serbia requires probation periods of new teachers, but Serbia’s key policies on teachers and how they compare does not determine hiring or compensation based on with those of top global performers in education. performance. Building on that diagnosis, this section offers some  Serbia could institute formal reviews or some other options for further strengthening the teacher policy means of assessing performance before extending framework. contracts.  Serbia could institute formal performance reviews Goal 3: Preparing teachers with useful that affect compensation. training and experience Although recent reforms incorporate teacher competencies and provide teaching practice, some additional policies would be useful.  Serbia could clarify its requirements on acquire classroom experience for teacher candidates. Goal 4: Matching teachers’ skills with students’ needs Policies do not exist to ensure sufficient quality teachers in hard-to-staff schools.  Serbia could formally identify hard-to-staff schools, monitor the overall supply of teachers in such schools, and provide incentives for teachers to enter and remain in those schools.  Serbia could provide incentives to teachers of mathematics, foreign languages, and other shortage subjects such as higher pay, better promotion chances, or loan forgiveness. Goal 5: Leading teachers with strong principals Although principals must have teaching experience and specific coursework, practical administrative experience is not necessary for selection.  Serbia could require internships or require experienced principals to serve as mentors of new ones. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 11 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 Nye, B., Konstantopoulos, S., & Hedges, L. V. (2004). Acknowledgements "How Large Are Teacher Effects?".Educational This report was prepared by Andrew Trembley Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 26(3), 237-257. (Consultant, HDNED), with inputs from Analía Jaimovich Park, A., & Hannum, E. (2001). "Do Teachers Affect (Consultant, HDNED), Mary E. Breeding (Consultant, Learning in Developing Countries?: Evidence from HDNED), and Emiliana Vegas (former Lead Economist, Matched Student-Teacher Data from China." HDNED), and under the direction of Halsey Rogers (Lead Paper presented at the Conference Rethinking Economist, HDNED). The team would also like to thank Social Science Research on the Developing World Latoya Anderson for assistance with data collection. in the 21st Century. Park City, Utah: Social Science Finally, the report also benefited from the collaboration Research Council. of Ivana Aleksic (Human Development Specialist, ECSHD) and Aleksander Baucal (Consultant, ECSHD). Pritchett, L. & Viarengo, M. 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(1996)."Cumulative and about Using Value-Added Measures of Teacher Residual Effects of Teachers on Future Student Quality.”American Economic Review. 100 (2): Academic Achievement."Research Progress 267–71. Report. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Hanushek, E. & Woessmann (2007). “Education Quality Value-Added Research and Assessment Center. and Economic Growth.” Washington, DC: The Vegas, E., et al. (2012) What matters most in teacher World Bank. policies? A framework for building a more Hanushek, E. & Woessmann (2009). “Schooling, effective teaching profession. Washington, DC: Cognitive Skills, and the Latin American Growth The World Bank. Puzzle.”NBER Working Paper 15066. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 12 SERBIA | TEACHER POLICY SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2012 www.worldbank.org/education/saber 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 teacher policy. 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. THE WORLD BANK SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 13