Capacity Building in the Policy Linking Method and Global Benchmarking

• In Event: Policy Linking for Setting Global Benchmarks on Student Assessments with USAID-Funded Projects: Background, Pilots, Capacity Building, and Additional Benefits

Proposal

The fourth presentation describes capacity building in policy linking and benchmarking. While the previous two presentations have referenced the in-country capacity building during pilots, this presentation will focus on the training for USAID implementing partners (IPs) for scaling up and sustaining policy linking. The initial training sessions are scheduled for early 2021. In advance, a series of briefs will be circulated to USAID Mission education officers and IP specialists, including a 1) policy linking overview (1-page), 2) GPF overview (1-page), and 3) policy linking how-to guide (2-page).

Capacity building for policy linking in countries with USAID Missions and education projects will generally involve a cascade model, with technical advisors training the IP specialists, who will in turn train national specialists in those countries. The IP training and capacity building will be overseen and supported by USAID education officers. Policy linking planning and implementation is seen as a collaborative effort, with responsibilities shifting over time to host country national specialists for reporting on national and global indicators.

MSI will lead training sessions in early 2021, either in-person or virtual (or both). The training package will be based on the Policy Linking Toolkit (PLT), for which a draft will be finalized October 2020 with input from the Policy Linking Working Group (PLWG). Along with the PLT, there is the final draft of the GPF, supplementary materials, and facilitation slides.

Technical advisors involved in the piloting and materials development will facilitate the training sessions. By the time of the training, there will have been large-scale policy linking pilots in at least nine countries – 1) Bangladesh and India (UNESCO funding), 2) Ghana (World Bank funding), and 3) Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, and Senegal (USAID funding) – from which to draw on. At least two countries – Lebanon and Senegal – are combining policy linking for setting global benchmarks with GPF-based initiatives such as developing content frameworks, reforming curricula, and/or designing student assessments. It is expected that additional countries will express interest in policy linking and additional benefits over the next several months.

A second training is scheduled to take place later in 2021. IPs from the first training can participate in the second training, or only in one of the two trainings. The content from both trainings will be similar, with lessons learned from the first training applied to the second training.

Technical advisors will be available to provide post-training support, such as 1) reviewing workshop plans; 2) identifying misalignment between standards, curricula, materials, and assessments; 3) advising on statistical and psychometric calculations and interpretations; and 4) meeting other needs as identified by Ministries of Education, USAID, and IPs. This will continue, build on, and expand the capacity building taking place in countries through the pilots. The goal is to scale up and sustain policy linking in all countries supported by USAID programming for improving student learning outcomes and reporting on national and global indicators.

Author

• Jeff Davis, MSI