Improving Educational Outcomes

In order for principals, APs, and coaches to focus on teaching and learning, a school must have great operations. I got spoiled at Achievement First because we had exceptional operational support. Each school had a Director of School Operations (DSO) who owned budgeting, payroll, HR issues, facility, special events, food services, state & authorizer compliance, data integrity, data reporting, assessment logistics, and much more. The DSO also played a huge rule in ensuring a strong staff culture and healthy leadership team, and the DSO was the primary point person for many network/district teams. Because a great operations leader woke up every day thinking, "What can I take off the plate of the instructional team?" and "How can I help the school run super-smoothly?" ... the instructional-facing leaders could do their jobs: establishing and sharing a vision of great teaching, coaching teachers to excellence, spending the bulk of their time in classrooms, responding to data in targeted ways. If your school doesn't have an exceptional leader dedicated to operations, you are dramatically reducing the potential effectiveness of your principal and other instructional leaders.

ASER 2024: Learning Recovery and the NIPUN Bharat Impact The recently released ASER 2024 report presents promising trends in foundational learning levels across India, showcasing significant progress in the aftermath of pandemic-induced disruptions. Not only have learning levels fully recovered, but in some cases, they have also surpassed pre-pandemic benchmarks—particularly in the primary grades. Reading Proficiency: The proportion of Std III children reading at Std II level had fallen sharply from 27.3% in 2018 to 20.5% in 2022. However, by 2024, it has rebounded to 27.1%, nearing the highest levels recorded. Similarly, for Std V, reading fluency improved from 42.8% in 2022 to 48.8% in 2024, almost reaching the 2018 peak of 50.5%. Arithmetic Skills: The share of Std III children able to perform basic subtraction rose from 28.2% in 2018 to an impressive 33.7% in 2024, marking the highest level in the last decade. Early Childhood Education: The proportion of 3-year-olds enrolled in early education programs climbed to 80%, reflecting an increasing emphasis on pre-school exposure in rural India. The driving force behind these improvements is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which has introduced a nationwide focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN). (i) According to the ASER survey, 83% of schools reported receiving government directives to implement FLN activities, 78% confirmed FLN teacher training, and 75% had access to teaching-learning materials. (ii) The policy has catalyzed a systematic, national push to improve foundational outcomes, offering long-term hope for addressing India's learning crisis. The report highlights substantial variations across states. While some states have fully recovered or exceeded previous levels, low-performing states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu have shown remarkable improvements, setting a strong example of targeted interventions driving results. You can access the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dRquH_5T #ASER2024 #EducationRecovery #FLN #NEP2020 #FoundationalLearning #IndiaEducation #EarlyChildhoodEducation #ReadingSkills #ArithmeticSkills #PolicyImpact #LearningOutcomes #EducationReform #RuralEducation #IndianEducationSystem #PandemicRecovery #StateWiseProgress #TransformingEducation

🌟 The World Bank's report, "Digital Pathways for Education: Enabling Greater Impact for All", is a timely and comprehensive guide for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders navigating the digital transformation of education systems. 📚💻 With a focus on equity, relevance, and resilience, the report provides a conceptual framework, evidence-based insights, and actionable strategies to harness digital technologies for improved learning outcomes. Its relevance is heightened by the global learning crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rapid advancements in AI and digital tools 🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways: 🛠️📈Digital Transformation in Education: ▪️Key Message: Digital transitions in education are not just about technology but require systemic, learning-centered approaches. ▪️Actionable Conclusion: Shift from fragmented digital "frills" to integrated digital "cores" that support teaching, learning, and management. ▪️Relevance to vocational training and training (VET): Digital tools can enhance VET by offering personalized learning, real-time feedback, and scalable solutions for upskilling and reskilling 🌐📱Equitable Access to Quality Learning: ▪️Key Message: Technology can bridge gaps but must be designed with inclusion in mind, especially for marginalized groups. ▪️Actionable Conclusion: Invest in meaningful connectivity, multilingual content, and early warning systems to prevent dropouts. ▪️Relevance to VET: Ensure VET platforms are accessible to underserved populations, including refugees and out-of-school youth 👩🏫💡Teacher Effectiveness & Professional Development: ▪️Key Message: Teachers are central to learning; digital tools should augment, not replace, their role. ▪️Actionable Conclusion: Use virtual coaching, communities of practice, and AI-driven tools to enhance teacher training and support. ▪️Relevance to VET: Equip VET trainers with digital skills and tools to deliver industry-relevant training 💰📊Cost-Efficiency & Scalability: ▪️Key Message: Digital solutions can be cost-effective but require careful planning and evidence-based scaling. ▪️Actionable Conclusion: Leverage open educational resources (OER) and digital platforms to scale quality education affordably. ▪️Relevance to VET: Use OER and MOOCs to provide scalable, low-cost VET programs 📊🔧 System Strengthening & Resilience: ▪️Key Message: Robust data systems and digital infrastructure are critical for resilient education systems. ▪️Actionable Conclusion: Invest in real-time data collection, learning analytics, and interoperable digital platforms. ▪️Relevance to VET: Use data-driven insights to align VET with labor market needs and ensure continuous improvement 🚀 Conclusion: ▪️The report underscores the transformative potential of digital technologies in education but cautions against techno-centric approaches. ▪️For vocational education and training, the emphasis on scalable, inclusive, and cost-effective solutions is particularly relevant

It is the end of the year again; the time schools begin to "plan for next session" with the intention to improve one area or the other. How do schools really improve? How do schools move from Intention to actual measurable Impact? Do schools make plans? Yes but too often, school improvement plans sound great on paper but stall in execution. Why? Because they’re missing operational clarity. Real change happens when we move from broad ambitions to specific, time-bound, measurable actions. Here’s a refined, expert-informed framework I use with schools: 🤔What exactly needs to improve? Focus on root causes, not just symptoms. For example, “student underperformance” may trace back to instructional gaps, not student effort. 🤔What action will close the gap? Think high-leverage practices — not busy work. Prioritize strategies that move the needle. 🤔Who is responsible for each action? Accountability thrives when names, not roles, are attached to tasks. Clarity kills confusion. 🤔How will this action be taken? Will it be a policy change? A new system? A training series? Define the mechanism clearly. 🤔What’s needed to support it? Time? Tools? Coaching? Authority? Action requires enablement, not just instruction. 🤔When will it happen? Improvement with no deadline is a wish. Add dates. Create urgency. 🤔How will we measure progress? Define early indicators of success, not just end goals. Think: feedback loops, classroom walkthroughs, data snapshots. 🤔Who is monitoring and ensuring follow-through? No plan survives without oversight. Assign someone to track, nudge, support, and recalibrate. 🎯 This is how we move schools forward — not through more meetings, but through more momentum. 📌 Whether you're leading a team, a school, or a system — this is the mindset shift that creates sustainable results. 🗣️ Which of these steps do you find most challenging in your context? Let’s trade insights. #SchoolImprovement #EducationLeadership #InstructionalExcellence #ImpactDrivenLeadership #OperationalClarity #StrategicExecution

The Role of Digital Education and Universal Connectivity in Transforming Africa In Africa, digital education has transformative potential to bridge gaps in access, quality, and relevance of learning. With over 60% of the continent’s population under 25, ensuring that education reaches every child and young person is essential for a prosperous future. Digital solutions, like The Digital School (TDS) initiative, are working to make this vision a reality by delivering affordable, accessible, and adaptable learning resources to millions, including those in remote areas. However, achieving this goal requires more than just digital tools—it demands universal internet connectivity for all schools. Access to the internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity for education. With internet connectivity, students and educators gain access to a wealth of global resources, digital learning platforms, and collaborative opportunities that broaden their horizons and deepen their skills. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are critical to making this happen. By uniting governments, private companies, and international organizations, we can bring reliable, high-speed internet to underserved areas sustainably. Technology firms provide the infrastructure and innovative solutions, while governments play a vital role by creating policies and prioritizing connectivity in educational agendas. Digital education combined with universal internet access empowers students not only with knowledge but also with pathways to economic empowerment, reduced poverty, and innovation across sectors such as agriculture, health, and entrepreneurship. By investing in these areas, we are building futures, reducing inequalities, and unlocking Africa’s potential. This commitment requires collaborative effort and an unwavering focus on ensuring that every child—regardless of location—has access to the digital tools they need to learn, grow, and lead. Now is the time to join forces, advocate for change, and transform digital education into a powerful engine of growth and opportunity across Africa. Together, we can create a resilient, inclusive education system that will enable Africa’s youth to shape the future of their communities and beyond.

12.6.23 | NYT Opinion on Learning Loss The New York Times Editorial Board piece on learning loss caused by COVID has me deeply reflective today. My Children's Aid colleagues and I see this as both a national emergency and an opportunity to act.   Here’s what keeps us up at night: COVID took 50 million children out of schools across the United States, creating major setbacks in their years of hard work and academic achievements.    The ripple effects of this learning loss will last for decades. That’s why our Children’s Aid community schools staff prioritize two concerns that contribute to learning loss: chronic absenteeism and the mental health and physical wellbeing of our students. Both of these challenges were exacerbated by COVID – addressing them head on ensures that each young person who comes through our doors is cared for and supported. Community schools also offer the third ingredient that the Times cites as critical to addressing learning loss - increasing time spent at school through after-school programs and tutoring to support academics.   Indeed, “the learning loss crisis is more consequential than many elected officials have yet acknowledged.” And community school evaluations have proven that they effectively address the barriers that contribute to chronic absenteeism while also offering expanded learning opportunities and access to health care. Yet New York City leaders are gutting the community schools budget by $10 million this fiscal year with the initiative set to lose more than $75 million in fiscal year 2025. This will cause damages that will extend far beyond any immediate fiscal concerns.    We need to double down our investment in the most promising solution to address the learning losses that will have a devastating effect on our nation’s children. The Times Editorial Board gets it exactly right with its call to action: “This is a bipartisan issue, and parents, teachers and leaders in education have a role to play as well, in making sure that addressing learning loss and other persistent challenges facing children receives urgent attention. https://lnkd.in/ebHEyPr9  

Education without Formal Schooling through Tablets and Tutors: Evidence from Out-of-School Children in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 Pandemic This paper examines the impact of EdTech in Bangladesh, where tablets with educational software and private tutoring were provided to out-of-school students through a randomized control trial. Positive effects on both math and Bangla language scores, with math scores increasing by approximately 0.25 standard deviations and Bangla scores by about 0.17 standard deviations. Girls benefited more from the program compared to boys, and rural out-of-school children experienced greater improvements than their urban counterparts. The program had minimal effect on noncognitive traits such as competence and self-esteem. These findings have broader implications for implementing education programs for out-of-school children, especially during crises like pandemics. Key Findings: 1. The intervention positively impacted math (0.25 standard deviation) and Bangla language (0.17 SD) scores of out-of-school children. 2. Girls benefited more from the program than boys. 3. Rural out-of-school children experienced greater improvements compared to urban counterparts. 4. Minimal impact was observed on noncognitive traits. 5. The findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions for out-of-school children and distance education during crises. Policy Recommendations: 1. Utilization of Technology:   - Emphasize the use of tablets with educational software to deliver quality education to out-of-school children, particularly in underserved areas.   - Ensure the availability of offline educational content to overcome internet connectivity challenges. 2. Personalized Tutoring:   - Implement personalized tutoring programs alongside technology-based interventions to enhance learning outcomes.   - Provide regular support and guidance to students through private tutors to address individual learning needs. 3. Addressing Gender Disparities:   - Develop gender-sensitive educational interventions to empower girls and address disparities in learning outcomes. 4. Tailoring Programs to Rural Contexts:   - Design educational programs considering the unique challenges faced by rural out-of-school children, including access to resources and infrastructure.   - Tailor interventions to address the specific needs of rural communities and ensure equitable access to education. 5. Holistic Approach to Education:   - Integrate activities that enhance self-esteem, resilience, and other noncognitive traits into educational programs. 7. Policy Implementation:   - Engage policymakers and stakeholders in designing and implementing effective education policies targeted at out-of-school children. https://lnkd.in/eu7caRiq

  The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — often called “The Nation’s Report Card” — reveals a generational crisis facing our country. Even before the pandemic, NAEP results were declining. Five years later, even more students, across all socioeconomic groups, are not reading or doing math at grade level. And lower-performing students are experiencing the steepest declines, widening achievement gaps.    KIPP has been proactively addressing these challenges. A Wall Street Journal article mentioned Brandi Vardiman as someone who was “a principal at a New York City charter school.” What the article didn’t specify is Brandi led KIPP Star Elementary and that school has not only returned to pre-pandemic performance but exceeded it. At STAR, 87% of 4th graders scored at or above basic in reading and 89% in math on 2023-24 state exams.    KIPP STAR adopted science of reading aligned practices early. The school made deep, sustained investments in professional development and coaching to ensure teachers were fully supported to navigate that shift. Even when schools were closed during the pandemic, professional learning remained a priority. The school’s approach to math instruction emphasizes both procedural and conceptual understanding, allowing students to explore multiple strategies to solve problems and show their thinking. The entire KIPP STAR team uses data to understand where students are academically and takes the time to understand who they are as individuals, what motivates them, and what challenges they face.     The NAEP results are sobering, but they also provide an opportunity. We must look at the research and at schools like KIPP STAR to identify what works and bring those practices to every school and every student in the country. https://lnkd.in/e-xs_R3b

🌍 “Education is the most powerful tool which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela Today, around 100 million children in sub-Saharan Africa are out of school (UNESCO Institute for Statistics) — a staggering number and a major societal challenges of our time. 🎓 After five years, I’ve returned to Africa for the education projects I’ve been involved in for 25 years. This time, we came as a family, serving in a rural school in Zimbabwe that we are supporting for several years. 🇿🇼👨👩👧👦 I also met with the passionate local team and board with whom, a few years ago, we launched a project to reach out of school children — those without access because schools are too far, unavailable, or unaffordable. Here’s how we’re bringing learning to every child, breaking barriers of access, affordability, and lack of school materials and teachers: 📚 Creating learning groups in rural and peri-urban areas 💻 Using tablets (both on/offline and on/off-grid) 🏫 Transforming unused spaces during the week (like public halls and churches) into learning hubs 👩🏫 Engaging young graduates as tutors, mentored by experienced teachers Having already worked with hundreds of children, we are now preparing to scale this initiative within and hopefully beyond Zimbabwe. The need is immense. 🚀✨ Education truly changes lives. For a powerful reminder, watch “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” — a story that perfectly connects education and changing the world (through innovation and, in this case, in the field of energy ⚡) - TED Talk in the comments. #EveryChildCounts #EducationForAll #EdTech #Empowerment #SDG4