Spending on education in Scotland could be cut by up to £680m without affecting standards, a study has suggested.
Researchers at the Centre for Public Policy for Regions [Complete Report – PDF] said good teachers were key to improving standards, not smaller class sizes or higher spending.
They said spending on education in Scotland was high relative to that in the other home nations.
They added attainment had “flatlined” since devolution and Scottish pupils were falling behind UK counterparts.
The Centre for Public Policy for Regions (CPPR) at Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities concedes attempts to compare Scotland with England, Wales and Northern Ireland are fraught with uncertainty, but it insists ministers could find savings without compromising quality.