Governments increasingly look at how to achieve ambitious reforms in education to improve results. But such changes are not easy to make: education change takes time, options for improvement may not be evident, groups with vested interests may hamper reforms, and politicians may face conflicting priorities or lack evidence on what can work best within the context. Education Policy Outlook 2015: Making Reforms Happen is designed to support governments move education systems forward by providing policy makers with choices to help formulate and implement policies.

Recovery from the financial crisis has been slow and national governments are working hard to tackle unemployment, address inequality and promote competitiveness. Increasingly they are turning to education in seeking to restore long-term and inclusive economic growth. It was estimated in 2010 that bringing all countries up to the average performance of Finland, one of the OECD best performing education system in PISA, would result in financial gains in the order of USD 260 trillion over the lifetime of those born in that year.

Across OECD countries, more than 12% of public spending is invested in education. Yet as international surveys like the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show, there is considerable variation in how that money is spent and the outcomes it produces. This first edition of the Education Policy Outlook 2015: Making Reforms Happen aims to help policy makers and other stakeholders in education learn how their peers in other countries respond to common challenges, from teaching diverse student populations to instituting measures that render schools accountable for the quality of the education they provide. The report offers a detailed look at some 450 education reforms that were adopted across OECD countries between 2008 and 2014. While these policies were developed in specific contexts, they can serve as inspiration for policy makers who are looking for effective ways to improve their own education systems.

Across OECD countries and beyond, the need for innovation, knowledge and skills to promote growth and development is well recognised. Inequalities are intensifying, with youth employment growing and the more disadvantaged falling behind in some countries (OECD, 2014a). Governments face increasing pressure to define and implement education policies, as they seek to improve the quality, equity and effectiveness of their education systems. They understand that more resources do not necessarily mean better outcomes – those resources need to be invested in the best possible ways. To respond to their concrete contexts and challenges, policy makers need better access to information on the full range of policy options available.