Curriculum Vitae STEPHEN TAYLOR Mobile: 072 6365607 Email: Taylor.s@dbe.gov.za PROFESSIONAL PROFILE For the last ten years Stephen Taylor has been doing research on education in South Africa and the surrounding region, with a focus on the links between education and economic development. In 2010 Stephen completed a PHD in Economics from the University of Stellenbosch on this topic. Since then, he has continued to publish academic research in peer-reviewed local and international journals. Since 2011, Stephen has been working in the National Department of Basic Education as a researcher and advisor to the Director-General. During this time he has continued to work extensively with large sample surveys of educational achievement, household survey data, and DBE administrative data. Stephen enjoys mentoring younger researchers and has provided in-house training on research methods and the use of statistical software to officials in the DBE since 2012. He has served (or is serving) as Principal Investigator on three large scale field research projects, involving school support interventions and large data collections covering more than 500 schools altogether. These projects, in particular the Early Grade Reading Study, have demonstrated Stephen s ability to raise substantial amounts of donor funding, to network with other universities and to manage service providers and individuals working on the projects. Prior to working within the DBE, Stephen has consulted to the Human Sciences Research Council, the Ministry of Education in Botswana, the World Bank, UNESCO, Save The Children and JET Education Services. In 2014, The Mail and Guardian recognised Stephen amongst a list of 200 Young South Africans for the work he is doing on education in the country. EDUCATION 2011 Postdoctoral research fellowship, University of Stellenbosch 2010 PhD in Economics, University of Stellenbosch 2008 Summer programme in the Analysis of Survey Data, Institute for Social Research of the University of Michigan, USA 2007 Masters Degree, Economics, University of Stellenbosch 2005 BComm Honours Degree in Economics, University of Stellenbosch 2004 Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction (Majors: political science, philosophy, and economics), University of Stellenbosch
EMPLOYMENT RECORD Department of Basic Education (Sep 2011 present; Deputy Director since September 2012) Core tasks Research reports Analysis of National Senior Certificate Results Early Grade Reading Study Evaluations in collaboration with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) Training of young researchers in the DBE Annual National Assessments Data Analysis Description and examples Macro Indicator Report (Widely used official DBE report monitoring progress on all educational outcome indicators over time); DBE Report on the Internal Efficiency of the School System (analytical report on learner retention, grade repetition, subject selections, etc); Impact evaluation report of the Mind The Gap study guides (I designed the methodology, analysed the outcome data and wrote report on this DBE programme); Research report on the impact of language of instruction in the Foundation Phase on later English literacy; Various publications in which I developed a combined measure of access to schooling and the quality of schooling in African countries (now referenced in various international reports including the EFA Global Monitoring Report). Short policy briefs for internal use on topics such as teacher absenteeism, decisions around the Grade R programme and teacher incentives. For the past few years I have been analyzing trends in NSC outcomes the proportion of all children who go on to pass NSC, subject choices in NSC, maths and science outcomes. I also conducted a published analysis of the language compensation policy in the matric exam. I regularly assist DBE Communications with media inputs on NSC results. I initiated and now head up this large-scale research project that is piloting alternative interventions to improve early grade reading. The interventions include: 1) A teacher training programme on reading pedagogy; 2) Using specialist reading coaches to provide in-classroom support to teachers; 3) A parent involvement programme to increase reading activities in the home; and 4) Using ICT to provide in-classroom support to teachers. The project is being conducted in 230 schools in the North West (2015 & 2016) and 180 schools in Mpumalanga (2016-2018) and will provide rigorous evidence to inform the DBE s reading strategy. I have raised donor funding for this project amounting to about R37 million from UNICEF, ZENEX, 3ie, DPME, Anglo American and USAID. I have served on the steering committees for the following DPME/DBE evaluations: The Grade R impact evaluation; the National Schools Nutrition Programme; The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme; The CAPS Evaluation. I provide technical advice on evaluation design and guidance to service providers on aspects such as sampling, questionnaire design and data analysis. I serve on the Evaluations Technical Working Group for the DPME, which advises the DPME on technical aspects of doing impact evaluations in government. I provide ongoing training for DBE staff on applied research methods for analyzing education datasets, especially using statistical software called STATA. I have assisted the Chief Directorate for examinations with analyzing the ANA data and calculating National and Provincial results (2012, 2013 and 2014). The numbers reported in the official ANA reports were calculated by me.
EMPLOYMENT RECORD (Cont.) Research on Socio-Economic Policy Group (RESEP), Department of Economics, University of Stellenbosch (Feb 2008 Sep 2011) Core tasks Production of academic outputs Consulting work Description and examples Published Working Papers and academic articles Report for Botswana Ministry of Education on performance of school sector and links to labour market outcomes; Data analysis for JET Education Services on the National School Effectiveness Study; Report to UMALUSI on how to compare standards of matric papers across years using Item Response Theory Policy advice to government I was the coordinating author of the RESEP input to the National Development Plan s chapter on education. Examples of Independent consulting Example 1 (2011) Client: Human Sciences Research Council Task: Produced a chapter on Education and Skills as part of the 2011 National Status of the Youth Report. This involved literature review and extensive primary analysis of household survey data, labour force survey data and educational achievement data. Example 2 (2010) Client: World Bank Task: Produced a chapter on school education for a World Bank report on Closing the skills and technology gaps in South Africa. This included a description of policy development and progress in educational outcomes since 1994. Example 3 (2009) Client: Department of Education Task: Produced a report on the comparative performance of the independent and public schools sectors in South Africa, after accounting for differences in school resources and learner composition. This involved analysis of Senior Certificate and household survey data and a review of literature.
PUBLICATIONS International Journals Taylor, S.G.S and Von Fintel, M. 2016. Estimating the impact of language of instruction in South African primary schools: a fixed effects approach. Economics of Education Review, 50, 75-89. Taylor, S., & Spaull, N. 2015. Measuring access to learning over a period of increased access to schooling: The case of Southern and Eastern Africa since 2000. International Journal of Educational Development, 41, 47-59. Spaull, N., & Taylor, S. 2015. Access to What? Creating a Composite Measure of Educational Quantity and Educational Quality for 11 African Countries. Comparative Education Review, 59 (1), 133-165. Mohohlwane, N., & Taylor, S. 2015. Using Impact Evaluation for Education Policy Innovations: the Case of Early Grade Literacy in South Africa. Evaluation Matters, 2, 99-107. Samuels, M., Taylor, S., Shepherd., D., Van der Berg, S., Jacob, C., Nuga Deliwe, C., & Mabogoane, T. 2015. Reflecting on an impact evaluation of the Grade R programme: Method, results and policy responses. African Evaluations Journal, 3(1), 1-10. Taylor, S., Van der Berg, S., Reddy, V., & Janse van Rensburg, D. 2015. The evolution of educational inequalities through secondary school: Evidence from a South African panel study. Development Southern Africa, 32(4), 425-442. Local Journals Taylor, S. 2014. Reviewing the Language Compensation Policy in the National Senior Certificate. Perspectives in Education. 32(1). 124-141. Vijay Reddy, Servaas van der Berg, Dean Janse van Rensburg & Stephen Taylor. 2012. Educational outcomes: Pathways and performance in South African high schools. South African Journal of Science. 108 (3/4): 1-4 Taylor, S.G.S and Yu, D. 2009. The impact of socio-economic status on educational achievement in South Africa. Transformation Audit 2009. The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation. Working Papers Gustafsson, M., & Taylor, S. 2016. Treating schools to a new administration: Evidence from South Africa of the impact of better practices in the system-level administration of schools. Stellenbosch Economic Working Papers, 05/16. Taylor, S., & Watson, P. 2015. The impact of study guides on matric performance: Evidence from a randomised experiment. Stellenbosch Economic Working Papers, 13/15. Taylor, S.G.S. 2011. Uncovering indicators of effective school management in South Africa using the National School Effectiveness Study. Stellenbosch Economic Working Papers, 10/11. Taylor, S.G.S and Yu, D. 2009. The importance of socio-economic status in determining educational achievement in South Africa. Stellenbosch Economic Working Papers, 01/09. Book chapters Taylor, S.G.S. and Taylor, N. 2013. Learner performance in the NSES in Taylor, N; Van der Berg, S & Mabogoane, T (eds.). 2013. Creating Effective Schools. Cape Town: Pearson. Taylor, S.G.S. 2013. Modelling educational achievement in Taylor, N; Van der Berg, S & Mabogoane, T (eds.). 2013. Creating Effective Schools. Cape Town: Pearson. Vorster, C; Mayet, A, and Taylor, S.G.S. 2013. The language of teaching and learning in South African schools in Taylor, N; Van der Berg, S & Mabogoane, T (eds.). 2013. Creating Effective Schools. Cape Town: Pearson. Taylor, N and Taylor, S.G.S. 2013. Teacher knowledge and professional habitus in Taylor, N; Van der Berg, S & Mabogoane, T (eds.). 2013. Creating Effective Schools. Cape Town: Pearson.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Journal referee: World Development Journal of African Economies Journal of Development Studies International Journal of Educational Development South African Journal of Economics Development Southern Africa Perspectives in Education South African Journal of Education Education as Change South African journal of Childhood Education External moderator for the Economics of Education module offered to postgraduate students at the University of Stellenbosch External examiner for postgraduate dissertations (University of the Witwatersrand and UKZN) Supervisor of Masters Students (University of the Witwatersrand) Member of the Evaluations Technical Working Group advising the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency with respect to the National Evaluation Plan Published opinion pieces in the Mail and Guardian, Business Day, Saturday Independent and The Mercury Appeared on several television and radio interviews to discuss topics such as NSC results, language in schooling, cross-country education rankings, etc. Research Associate in the Department of Economics, University of Stellenbosch this is an honorary affiliation in recognition of my research work and historical involvement at the university. Presented research at international conferences including in Oxford, Sarajevo, Istanbul, New Orleans, Washington DC and Lisbon ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND SPECIALISED COURSES JPAL Advanced Course on Randomised Control Trials 2011 Symposium on Research Methods in Health Economics Stellenbosch, 2011 Graduate course in Survey Data Analysis University of Cape Town, 2007 Course in Item Response Theory University of Cape Town, 2013
LEADERSHIP IN OTHER AREAS OF LIFE Captain of University of Stellenbosch 1 st hockey team, 2005-2007 Elder at Rooted Fellowship Church, Pretoria REFERENCES Professor Brahm Fleisch Professor in Education leadership and policy studies, School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand Telephone: +27 (0)82 5671311 Email: brahm.fleisch@wits.ac.za Professor Servaas van der Berg Professor of Economics and National Research Foundation Chair in the Economics of Social Policy Department of Economics, University of Stellenbosch Telephone: +27 (0)21 8082239 Email: svdb@sun.ac.za Dr Thabo Mabogoane Deputy Director-General for Outcomes Facilitation - Outcome 1 (education) & 5 The Presidency Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Telephone: +27 (0)12 312 0106 Cell: +27 (0)76 2991460 Email: ThaboM@dpme.gov.za