Evaluation of the ‘Double-Reduction’ Policy Based on Reasoned Choice Criteria: Adequacy, Equity and Responsiveness

The Double-Reduction policy (hereafter DRP) is a systematic project to refine the education ecology and build a high-quality education system and has achieved outstanding results in a relatively short period of time. The current situation and contradictions of policy implementation are related to the sustainable and effective implementation of the policy. This paper first clarifies the main objectives and significance of DRP and provides a brief overview of existing research on the policy. Then it conducts a retrospective process evaluation of DRP based on reasoned choice theory with three criteria, namely adequacy, equity and responsiveness, to probe into the current situation and contradictions from historical, culture, crossregional and global comparative perspective. According to the findings, The DRP contributes to both educational equity and well-being and overall development of students in a long run for offering satisfying education. Nevertheless, given that the DRP is in the process of gradual implementation with many supporting measures and guarantee mechanisms far from perfect, the policy benefits inequitably for different groups and not fully satisfy the needs and values of the students and their parents to further improve academic performance under the examination-oriented education system and academicbackground-related employment environment. The teachers are now under higher burdens and risks, and the parents and students are still in anxiety about the decrease in academic performance due to less workload and examinations but still need-to-be-improved teaching ability, homework design and inadequate tutoring resources. Based on the analysis, the paper finally puts forward targeted directions for future improvement of the DRP in response to the possible occurrence of policy suspension.