Teacher Evaluation in
Sweden
OECD Workshop
Towards a Teacher Evaluation Framework in Mexico:
International Practices, Criteria and Mechanisms
1 – 2 December 2009, Mexico City
Dr. Ulf Fredriksson
Education Department
Mid Sweden University
Teacher Certification and
Selection in Sweden
• Basic information about education in Sweden
• Teacher Evaluation in Sweden: Three
approaches
• School Inspection
• Individualised Salaries
• Continuous Dialogue
• Teacher Certification
• Conclusions: A Swedish approach
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Some basic information
Population Population/ Surface
km2
(million)
Sweden
9
20
449 964 km2
Mexico
108
55
1 958 201 km2
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Sweden: Number of teachers:
• Pre-school:
72 507
• Primary and lower secondary education:
83 784
• Upper secondary education:
27 346
4
Sweden: Investment in education
• % of GDP: 7.3
• % of national budget: 12.8
5
Sweden :
Level of education in the population
Percentage of the population aged 20 to 24
having completed at least upper secondary
education
86.3 %
6
Sweden: Education system
• Pre-school classes: 1 year, compulsory for
the municipalities
• Compulsory school: 9 years, a unified
system with some options to chose during
the last years
• Upper secondary school: 3 years, not
compulsory, most students continue,
different tracks
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Sweden: Levels in the system
• Three levels in the system: National –
Municipal (290 municipalities) - School
• Municipalities get income from taxes and state
grants
• Municipalities determine how to organize
education (in accordance with national laws)
• Municipalities usually have a municipal school
board
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Sweden: Responsibilities of the
municipalities
• Municipalities develop their own allocation
system
• Municipalities develop school plans based
on the national curriculum
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Sweden: School management
• Every school has a principal
• The Principal: responsible for the daily
work and for the development of the
education in the school
• The municipalities often delegate
responsibilities to the principals
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Co-operation and consultations with
stakeholders
• Co-determination act: general law applicable for all
employers, guarantees on-going information from
employer to recognised unions, negotiations about all
major decisions taken by the employer
• Students: influence on the work in the classroom,
representation in local school boards
• Parents: Co-operation with parent associations, meeting
with parents, representation in local school boards
• Staff: representation in local school boards, information
and negotiations with the staff unions
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Teacher Evaluation in Sweden:
Three approaches
• No specific system for teacher evaluation,
but integrated in other activities….
• School Inspection
• Individualised Salaries
• Continuous Dialogue
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School Inspection
• The Swedish Schools Inspectorate makes sure that those
responsible for schools, i.e. primarily local authorities and
those in charge of running independent schools, follow the
laws and regulations that apply.
• Full inspection: legal and quality aspects. Targets three
key areas with attention paid to the conditions of the
operation and the results of the work:
1) Results, standards of achievement, learning and
teaching.
2) How schools succeed in teaching students the norms and
values of a democratic society
3) The management and internal audit are inspected both at
the municipal and the individual school level.
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School Inspection
• An inspection always results in a decision - measures to
take or action required by the authority/party responsible
for the school.
• The inspected local authority has to report in writing
within three months on the work carried out to rectify
shortcomings. If the Inspectorate believes that the
requirements are satisfactory it will conclude the
inspection; otherwise, the Inspectorate requests additional
measures from the responsible organisation.
• For independent schools, inspection could also result in a
decision to withdraw the school’s license to operate or it’s
right to receive subsidies.
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School Inspection
• Quality evaluations, takes a closer look at a
particular area. For example, quality
evaluations may be conducted for a particular
school subject such as mathematics or for a
more overall area such as access to special
assistance for students.
• Analyses of the shortcomings identified are
used to determine the areas where quality
evaluations are needed.
• Regular inspections may also identify
shortcomings that result in the evaluation of a
specific area.
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School Inspection
• It is possible for students, parents and others to file
a complaint about the shortcomings in a particular
school with the Swedish Schools Inspectorate.
• The Inspectorate can on its own initiative
investigate a school, pre-school or other
organisation as the result of shortcomings that
have attracted the attention of the media for
example.
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School Inspection
• Self-evaluation
• Every municipality must draw up a quality report
at municipal level with regard to all municipallyrun pre-school activities, school-age child care,
and school activities.
• Every school must draw up a quality report.
• The quality reports are publicly available to
anyone who wants information about a specific
municipality or school.
• Problems with reporting.
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Individualised Salaries
• Salaries for teachers individual and
differentiated.
• A general framework negotiated between
teacher unions and the municipalities.
• Specific guidelines negotiated in the
municipalities or in the schools.
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Individualised Salaries
• Salaries should be based on
• The tasks: position, responsibility, work situation
and content.
• How the tasks are done: competence, experience
and results.
• The individual salary is proposed by the principal
and negotiated with the individual teacher (who
could be supported by the union).
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Individualised Salaries
• The principal should base his/her proposal on an
informed judgement of the teachers work.
• In the discussion about the salary the principal
should explain his/her proposal.
• Those who get no salary increase or only a very
low increase over time should be given the reasons
for this in a dialogue with the principal.
• Not all schools/municipalities have developed
guidelines.
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Continuous Dialogue
• Principals are expected to have on regular basis a
discussion with individual teachers where the
teacher´s tasks and work are discussed and
evaluated.
• These discussions can be used to decide about
needs for professional development and other
types of support.
• They can also be used for a judgment related to
future negociations about the salary.
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Teacher Certification
• Before a teacher gets a permanent position
there is a one year probation period.
• A proposal is being prepared which will
introduce an new type of additional teacher
certification that will be awarded teachers
after some years of teaching based on good
teaching and/or accademic degrees.
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Conclusions: A Swedish approach
•
•
•
•
•
Decentralization
Transparency
Trust
Purpose
A Nordic approach
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Summary
• There is no specific teacher evaluation in Sweden.
• Teacher evaluation is an integral part of other
activities.
• Inspections
• Individualized salaries
• Continuous dialogue between principal and
teachers
• Probation period, additional certification after
some years.
• Decentralization, transparency, trust, purpose
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Thank you!
Gracias!
ulf.fredriksson@miun.se
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