Benchmarking, using standardised testing like the PISA for school test, can be valuable in improving school performance in a number of different areas. Not only can this valuable tool be used to improve academic performance but also the performance of the school as a whole.

Here are some ways to harness benchmarking as a tool for school improvement.

Increasing Academic Achievement

By analysing the results from standardised tests, it is easy to compare the academic achievements of schools that are similar in terms of demographics, student populations and socioeconomic backgrounds.

This allows benchmarks to be set to act as a standard for what each school should aim for academically. Once these benchmarks are established, each school can then identify how the academic achievements of its students match the benchmarks that have been set.

School administrators can then easily identify areas that may need improvement and by looking at the curriculum and teaching methods of the other schools, can implement changes to allow students to achieve better results.

Ultimately, with constant improvement in best practices, the academic achievements within each school can easily be improved to surpass the set benchmarks.

Improving Operational Efficiencies

Another way that schools can harness benchmarking to improve school performance is by improving their operational efficiencies. This would involve comparing the operational procedures used by high-performance schools with their own.

By identifying those high-performance schools, it is possible to use these schools as a benchmark of operational efficiency. Key performance indicators could include things like the school’s budget allocation per student, the teacher-to-student ratio and/or the attendance rates of the students.

This would allow schools that are not performing as well to compare their own operational procedures or key performance indicators and identify areas of possible improvement. For example, the school may implement some ways to increase student attendance or even look at ways to improve the teacher-to-student ratio.

Improving Student Engagement And Well-Being

Creating a positive learning environment where students are engaged and happy will ultimately lead to better performance and increased learning.

Benchmarking can be utilised by researching and identifying schools that are performing well in this area and determining what makes these schools so successful. Some common ways that schools can improve student engagement include things like creating inclusive environments and having effective programs that address social and emotional learning.

For example, if an individual school wants to improve its student engagement and well-being, it should communicate with another school that does this well and look at the programs that are responsible for the increase in student engagement.

Ultimately, this is a positive step toward improving the overall results that the students are able to achieve because they have a learning environment that fosters engagement and well-being.

In Summary

Benchmarking is a valuable tool that educators and school administrators can use to improve school performance on a variety of different levels.

Not only can benchmarking be used to increase academic achievement but it can also be used as a way to foster enhanced student engagement and create more efficient operational systems.