The 2006 Education Act and the 2013 Act on the Improvement of the Quality of Education, modifying it, have the improvement of the quality and efficiency of the education and training systems as an objective. To this end, the education system has two differentiated pathways: educational inspection and evaluation.

Educational inspection

It must be conducted on all elements and aspects of the education system, in order to ensure compliance with the law, the guarantee of rights and duties of those participating in the teaching and learning processes, the improvement of the education system, and the quality and equity of education.

In accordance with the decentralised nature of the Spanish education system, it is organised into two levels:

• the Educational Inspectorate, which has the legal authority and the duty to inspect and authorise the education system at national level. It has the power to supervise all types of education, both non-university and university, ensuring compliance with the regulations established by the State in all the Autonomous Communities. It is present in the 17 Autonomous Communities
• the educational inspection of non-university education, which is organised, regulated and conducted by the education authorities of the Autonomous Communities in their respective regions.

Educational evaluation

Educational evaluation is a tool that contributes to the knowledge of the education system and guides decision-making by the different institutions related to education. In addition, it is considered as an essential element in order to improve the transparency of the education system and should therefore cover all its areas.

Evaluation, therefore, must provide relevant information on the degree the education system achieves the goals established by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and the Autonomous Communities, and assess learning processes and students’ results, teachers’ activity, educational processes, the managerial function, the running of schools, inspection and education authorities themselves.

The Act on the Improvement of the Quality of Education has introduced external evaluations at the end of the stage, which make it possible to estimate and assess students’ achievement levels, and provide information on the degree of development of the cognitive skills required to guarantee transition between different types of provision. For more information, see Design of external evaluations at the end of the stage, implemented from the 2015/16 academic year and Design of external evaluations at the end of compulsory secondary education and Bachillerato.

The National Institute for Educational Evaluation of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport publishes the National System of Education Indicators, which gathers information on the status of the Spanish education system and guides the decision-making of the education authorities.

In the international context, the participation of Spain in international evaluation tests such as PISA, TIMSS or PIRLS, among others, makes it possible to place its education system in a framework for comparison with other countries and contrast their weaknesses and strengths. Similarly, its participation in international publications, such as Education at a Glance, provides important information on the position of Spain in comparison with other countries regarding a number of education indicators.

Educational evaluation of non-university levels

It is organised into three levels: 

• the State in collaboration with the Autonomous Communities: they are responsible for the general evaluation of the education system
• the Autonomous Communities: they are in charge of the evaluation of the education system and educational institutions within their respective territory
• educational institutions: they develop internal evaluation mechanisms with the support of the education authorities.

Evaluation of university education

It has a more complex structure due to the convergence of the principles of accountability and university autonomy. It is regulated by the 2001 Act on Universities and the 2007 Act Modifying the Act on Universities.

The evaluation of the quality of universities is the responsibility of the Autonomous Communities. With the purpose of bringing external quality assurance to the university system and contributing to its constant improvement, the Act on Universities established  the creation of a National Agency to evaluate university provision, research, teaching and management activity, and services and programmes.

Universities, as autonomous institutions, develop their own control and supervision mechanisms. 

Actions for the evaluation of the Spanish education system

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (National Centre for Educational Innovation and Research, Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport).