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How can assessment improve educational outcomes in Dubai? International tests like PISA and TIMSS suggest UAE (and Dubai) students’ performance is not improving fast enough to realize the UAE’s National Agenda goal of a first-rate educational system and prepare them with the skills necessary for the 21st century.

This policy brief counters that assumption by showing that assessment is already working in some schools and their experience should be drawn upon to benefit the wider education system. By reviewing the Dubai School Inspection Board’s examination of ‘outstanding’ and ‘weak’ private schools, this policy brief summarizes some of the ways that assessment data is collected and being used to improve students’ learning.

The policy brief recommends that ‘weak’ schools and public schools should be financially supported to set up similar mechanisms that exist in ‘outstanding’ schools, while educators from ‘outstanding’ schools could be given financial incentives to share their knowledge with peers in ‘weak’ and public schools. Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) should organize a What Works event on assessment and build an online and accessible portal of best practice assessment material for educators.