Value-added in Education: Mapping the contributions from Portugal and Spain

Abstract

This study examines Portugal and Spain's contributions to Educational Effectiveness Research (EER) and value-added (VA) measures from 2000 to 2024 by analyzing 37 research papers published in Spanish (51%), English (38%), or Portuguese (11%). The analysis addresses three key questions: the knowledge production landscape, influential authors and articles, and the field's evolving thematic structure. The scoping review method is used with bibliometric analysis, content analysis, and co-occurrence analysis through author keywords.The review covers 73 authors, with 32% of articles featuring international collaborations. Results show that 52% of studies use longitudinal data, and 19% rely on international large scale assessments. The majority of the articles (65%) consider school performance in mathematics, while 40% also address reading performance. Regarding the purpose, VA models are mainly used for educational improvement and evaluation, with no studies on school choice or high-stakes accountability. The study emphasizes the need for greater visibility and integration of EER in these regions and offers recommendations for future research, contributing to evidence-based educational policy and practice in Southern Europe.

Keywords: evaluation; mapping science; school effectiveness; school improvement; value added model.