Home > Evidence & resources >Measuring implementation in education

Insight note

27 March 2026

Measuring implementation in education

Authors:

Noam Angrist, Sharnic Djaker, Sam Ho, Michelle Kaffenberger, Guillermo Romero and Kate Sturla

Suggested bibliographic citation: Angrist, N., Djaker, S., Ho, S., Kaffenberger, M., Romero, G. & Sturla, K. 2026. Measuring implementation in education. What Works Hub for Global Education. Insight note. RI_2026/005. https://doi.org/10.35489/BSG-WhatWorksHubforGlobalEducation-RI_2026/005

Abstract

In this guidance note, we put forward a practical framework for measuring and reporting implementation in education. We also share a toolkit and resource package the What Works Hub for Global Education is developing to support implementation measurement. The aim with this framework is to support a more systematic approach to implementation measurement to help unpack the ‘black box’ of how educational interventions achieve impact at scale, and to ultimately advance learning outcomes for all children.

References

Akyeampong, K., Andrabi, T., Banerjee, A., Banerji, R., Dynarski, S., Glennerster, R., Grantham-McGregor, S., Muralidharan, K., Piper, B., Ruto, S., Saavedra, J., Schmelkes, S., Yoshikawa, H. (2023). Cost-Effective Approaches to Improve Global Learning – What does recent evidence tell us are “Smart Buys” for improving learning in low- and middle-income countries? London, Washington D.C., New York. FCDO, the World Bank, UNICEF, and USAID. https://geeap.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Cost-Effective-approaches-to-improve-Global-Learning-2023-English.pdf

Anaman, A., Sabarwal, S., Masood, S., Angrist, N. & Spivack, M. (2026). Improving implementation while scaling: Differentiated Learning in Ghana. What Works Hub for Global Education. Insight note. RI_2026/003. https://doi.org/10.35489/BSG-WhatWorksHubforGlobalEducation-RI_2026/003

Angrist, N., Beatty, A., Cullen, C., and Matsheng, M. (2024). A/B testing in education: rapid experimentation to optimise programme cost-effectiveness. What Works Hub for Global Education. Insight note, 2024/001. https://doi.org/10.35489/BSG-WhatWorksHubforGlobalEducation-RI_2024/001

Angrist, N., Benveniste, L., Bevan, N. & Herbertson, J. (2025). Investing in implementation science, so ‘what works’ actually works in practice. What Works Hub for Global Education. Blog. 2025/022. https://doi.org/10.35489/BSG-WhatWorksHubforGlobalEducation-BL_2025/022

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D’Agostino, T., Guzmán, D., Perrin, P., Liberiste-Osirus, A., & Schuenke-Lucien, K. (2024). Explaining Variation in Treatment Effects: An Impact Evaluation and Mixed-Methods Study of Variation in Early Grade Reading Program Effects. Comparative Education Review, 68(1), 85-112. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/728393

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Kaffenberger, M., & Hwa, Y. Y. (2024). A conceptual framework for synthesis and evidence translation to improve implementation of foundational learning. In What Works Hub for Global Education. https://www.wwhge.org/resources/a-conceptual-framework-for-synthesis-and-evidence-translation-to-improve-implementation-of-foundational-learning/

Kaffenberger, M., Angrist, N., Hwa, Y. Y., Kayton, H. L., Jukes, M., Stern, J. (2026). Core components of teaching at the right level: Unpacking the black box of proven programmes into a set of ‘core components’ by systematically combining multiple sources of rigorous evidence with implementer insight. In What Works Hub for Global Education. https://www.wwhge.org/resources/teaching-at-the-right-level/

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