Significant enhancement of academic achievement through application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC)

Abstract

Changes in the administration of matriculation examinations in Israel (based on the Theory of Constraints), has produced a marked improvement in the high school graduation rate of underprivileged students, without the need for additional manpower or resources and without changing the pedagogical way teachers are asked to teach the relevant knowledge. Because of changes made within the educational system in the early 1990's, the high school diploma has become the prime measure of success also for underprivileged students, within the vocational/technological high school track. This article presents a case study of the “Reut” school, where adoption of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) has led to a continuous increase in the number of students eligible for high school diplomas. The article describes the two-phase process of applying the principles of TOC in the administration of matriculation exams. The first phase employs operational flow principles to align the allocation of academic resources according to the weakest link (constraint); the second phase uses TOC project management principles to streamline resource utilization. The improvement achieved at each phase is described together with an analysis of the results. The article ends with conclusions drawn from an analysis of the processes.