education Poverty and education Preface

the Education Policy Series. The purpose of the series is to summarize what is known, based on research, about selected policy issues in the field of education. The series was designed for rapid consultation ‘on the run ’ by busy senior decision-makers in ministries of education, who rarely have time to read lengthy research reports, to attend conferences and seminars, or to become engaged in extended scholarly debates with educational policy research specialists. The booklets have been (a) focused on policy topics that the Academy considers to be of high priority across many ministries of education – in both developed and developing countries, (b) structured for clarity – containing an introductory overview, a research-based discussion of around ten key issues considered to be critical to the topic of the booklet, and references that provide supporting evidence and further reading related to the discussion of issues, (c) restricted in length – requiring around 30-45 minutes of reading time; and (d) sized to fit easily into a jacket pocket – providing opportunities for readily accessible consultation inside or outside the office. The authors of the series were selected by the International Academy of Education because of their expertise concerning the booklet topics, and also because of their recognised ability to communicate complex research findings in a manner that can be readily understood and used for policy purposes. The booklets will appear first in English, and may be published in other languages. Four booklets will be published each year and made freely available for download from the websites of the International Academy of Education and the International Institute for Educational Planning. A limited printed edition will also be prepared shortly after electronic publication