Georgia Primary Education Project Monthly Report February 1-28, 2015

The project has three main goals: to improve reading and math delivery systems in Georgia's primary education, to enhance community and public engagement, accountability, and transparency in approximately 300 schools, and to improve teacher effectiveness in teaching reading and math, as well as in the use of formative assessment-based teaching approach. In February 2015, G-PriEd trainings for pilot school teachers were completed, with 604 Grade 1-4 reading and math teachers, 178 Grade 5-6 reading teachers, 171 Grade 5-6 math teachers, and 46 GSL teachers trained. Additionally, 117 Grade 1-4 and Grade 5-6 math teachers in ethnic minority schools were trained, and 305 reading teachers in 82 schools and 365 math teachers in 94 schools were observed by national trainers. The trainers also observed 174 TLC facilitators while conducting TLC meetings. The project's expansion phase strategy was approved by the Teacher Professional Development Center, and a package of materials for the selection of expansion schools was prepared. The potential pool of schools for the expansion phase totals 1,959, and G-PriEd plans to expand its interventions to 500 schools, which is 25% of the schools within the pool. The project will apply the 25% quota to all regions in its school selection process. In March 2015, G-PriEd plans to prepare for the exhibition of G-PriEd instructional materials, tentatively scheduled for April 16. The project will also complete the next issue of the student newspaper, conduct 100 school visits, plan the parental engagement public awareness campaign, continue development of materials for online courses, begin filming "Constructive Feedback" video, and continue filming parental engagement activities in the pilot schools. The project's diagnostic test forms in reading and math were delivered, and conversational posters were sent for printing. A book fair date was set for April 16, and the adaptation of Junior Achievement materials began. Parental engagement activities in the pilot schools were filmed, and three televised "creep lines" publicizing the importance of parental engagement were broadcast on Maestro channel. A distribution plan for math manipulatives was prepared, and the technical description of G-PriEd's resource portal was updated with input from the Teacher Professional Development Center. The project's goals and objectives are aligned with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia's priorities, and the project's implementation is expected to have a positive impact on the education sector in Georgia. The project's expansion phase will build on the successes of the pilot phase and will aim to reach a larger number of schools and students.