USAID ECCN Quarterly Report July-September 2015

The contract allows for a team of nine experienced professionals in the area of education in crisis and conflict to provide direct technical support to USAID and work with USAID and its partners to convene and collaboratively structure a program of work for a community of practice called the USAID Education in Crisis and Conflict Network (ECCN). The specific objectives of the project include developing and supporting the ECCN community of practice, building and disseminating evidence for the field, testing and disseminating guidance, tools, metrics, and theories of change, applying tools in crisis and conflict environments, and developing, implementing, and assessing training. The project aims to nurture and grow an intentional USAID-focused sub-community within the ECC community of practice, synthesize existing research, and engage in new research in the area of education in conflict and crisis. The ECCN community of practice is composed of USAID Education Goal 3 leadership, implementing partners, and ECC networks and working groups. The project has established the ECCN launch meeting, identified USAID ECCN Planning Committee Members, and drafted the USAID ECCN Terms of Reference. The Steering Group has also been established, with two co-chairs and five Advisory Group members. The group has begun work planning, with the objective of identifying specific year 2 activities that will contribute toward year 2 outcomes. The project has also established a USAID ECCN Learning Agenda through outreach and information gathering. A summary stakeholder baseline report and an internal USAID stakeholder baseline report were delivered in May 2015. However, the development of the ECCN Year 2-5 Learning Agenda was delayed due to the absence of guidance from the Senior Researcher, who left ECCN in July. The replacement for the Senior Researcher will come on board next quarter. The project has made progress in establishing the ECCN community of practice, but challenges have been encountered in getting Steering Group members' attention and input on ECCN work. The project plans to address this challenge at the next face-to-face Steering Group meeting in October. The project will continue work planning throughout the quarter and hold a Steering Group/Advisory Group meeting in October. The project aims to support the acceleration of the impact and scale of core and supplementary education programs in crisis and conflict environments. Successful completion of these activities will contribute to the achievement of Goal 3 of the USAID Education Strategy. The project will continue to work with USAID and its partners to convene and collaboratively structure a program of work for the ECCN community of practice, synthesize existing research, and engage in new research in the area of education in conflict and crisis. The project has established a strong foundation for the ECCN community of practice, with a clear vision and objectives. The project will continue to work towards achieving these objectives, with a focus on developing and disseminating evidence, testing and disseminating guidance, tools, metrics, and theories of change, and applying tools in crisis and conflict environments. The project will also continue to develop, implement, and assess training to build the capacity of USAID, Goal 3 implementers, and local and regional institutions to use evidence-based research and resources in project design, implementation, and monitoring. The project has made significant progress in the first quarter, with the establishment of the ECCN launch meeting, the identification of USAID ECCN Planning Committee Members, and the drafting of the USAID ECCN Terms of Reference. The project has also begun work planning, with the objective of identifying specific year 2 activities that will contribute toward year 2 outcomes. The project will continue to work towards achieving its objectives, with a focus on developing and disseminating evidence, testing and disseminating guidance, tools, metrics, and theories of change, and applying tools in crisis and conflict environments.