In France, the indicators of the added value of lycées (IVAL) measure the ability of secondary schools to support their pupils until they obtain the baccalaureate (A-level). Since 1993 the Ministry of Education’s Department of Evaluation, Forward Studies and Performance (DEPP) disseminate it to the general public. In addition to the examination pass rate alone, the ‘added values’ associated with the raw indicators facilitate comparisons between heterogeneous schools, by taking account of educational and socio-economic disparities between schools. Since the creation of the IVALs, in principle unchanged, the methodology has evolved, adapting to institutional challenges and available data. Although sophisticated, it has been chosen in such a way as to be understandable to the general public.

The release of the indicators is a media event that also contributes to their informed dissemination. The media, which used to produce rankings based solely on the gross success rate, are now moving more towards plural approaches. As a result of this pedagogy, the philosophy of the IVALs is becoming better and better understood, both within the Ministry and externally. Although institutional players are already using them for steering purposes, this should be even more the case in the future, with a view to the overall evaluation of secondary schools.