National Policy and Institutional Framework Assessment for Decentralization: Study on Management, Policy and Impact on Reading in the Early Grades in Peru

The project focused on the regions of Arequipa, Moquegua, and San Martin, which were selected due to their consistently high results in educational outcomes. The study conducted by Juan León J and Claudia Sumimaru of Grupo de Análisis para el Desarrollo in 2014 aimed to identify the factors associated with educational achievements in these regions. The study found that the regions of Arequipa and Moquegua have better school infrastructure, more highly qualified teachers, and a reduced teacher load compared to San Martin. Additionally, these regions have a higher rate of coverage in early education, lower levels of malnutrition, and lower levels of infant mortality. The study also found that the variability in performance between schools in Arequipa and Moquegua is less compared to San Martin. The data analysis revealed that the outcomes variability due to student differences in Arequipa and Moquegua is between 60% and 70% of the total variability in performance, while in San Martin, it is between 50% and 60%. The study also found that the UGELS in Arequipa and Moquegua have better management and planning processes, with a focus on improving learning outcomes. In contrast, the UGELS in San Martin have limited resources and limited budget for teacher training and monitoring. The study highlighted the importance of teacher coaching and personalized support for teachers in improving teacher performance. The Moquegua Regional Government has implemented teacher coaching, while San Martin has received support from USAID to expand this service. The study also emphasized the need for better management and planning processes at the UGEL level to improve educational outcomes. The census evaluations from the Unit of Measurement of Educational Quality (UMC) of the Ministry of Education of Peru show a consistent picture of low achievement results for second-grade students in both communication and math. Different studies conducted by the UMC indicate that it is not just student differences that cause a performance gap in reading comprehension, but also the differences between schools. The study found that institutional differences may explain almost half of the variability in reading scores of students in the country. The main objective of the research is to explore how various demographic characteristics are related to institutional and educational management in order to identify whether these features are related to differences in school performance between regions. The study consisted of two stages: an analysis of databases and a qualitative approach to gather information through interviews with representatives of DRE, UGELs, and educational institutions in each region. The data analysis results show that the regions of Arequipa and Moquegua have better school infrastructure, more highly qualified teachers, and a reduced teacher load compared to San Martin. The study also found that the UGELS in Arequipa and Moquegua have better management and planning processes, with a focus on improving learning outcomes. In contrast, the UGELS in San Martin have limited resources and limited budget for teacher training and monitoring. The study found that the UGELS face great limitations, including limited budget, lack of training activities, and limited ability to visit the field and provide coaching support to teachers. In contrast, the UGELS in Moquegua have allocated their budget to teacher training, with presenters from Lima and an efficient monitoring of schools that is aware of administrative and pedagogical needs. The study also found that the schools in the three regions have done strategic planning to improve learning, but weaknesses in strategy formulation and agreements were found. The study highlights the importance of using results from regional evaluations to inform strategies for improving learning outcomes. The study also emphasizes the need for better management and planning processes at the school level to improve educational outcomes. The study concludes that the regions of Arequipa and Moquegua have better management and planning processes, with a focus on improving learning outcomes. In contrast, the UGELS in San Martin have limited resources and limited budget for teacher training and monitoring. The study highlights the importance of teacher coaching and personalized support for teachers in improving teacher performance. The study also emphasizes the need for better management and planning processes at the UGEL and school levels to improve educational outcomes.