How Much is Learning Measurement Worth? Assessment Costs in Low-income Countries

Though the stakes are high, relatively little is known about the cost-benefit ratio of various assessments compared to other educational expenditures. This paper from the International Literacy Institute, University of Pennsylvania presents an overview of four major types of assessments—national, regional, international, and hybrid—and the costs that each has incurred within 13 distinct contexts, especially in low-income countries. The findings highlight broad variation in the total cost of assessment and the cost-per-learner. This underscores the importance of implementation strategies that appropriately consider scale, timeliness, and cost-efficiency as critical considerations for any assessment.