USAID Let’s Read Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

The project aims to improve reading outcomes for approximately 1.4 million children attending pre-primary (kindergarten) through to Grades 3 and provide professional development for teachers to support reading interventions in Zambian public and community schools. The project is managed by the Education Development Center (EDC) in partnership with VVOB, Resonance, and Kentalis. The project's primary focus is on developing a reading intervention package that addresses the key curriculum topics and competencies at each level (ECE, Grades 1, 2, and 3), and is gender sensitive, inclusive, and user-friendly. The package will be developed through a review of secondary data on student achievement, classroom observations, language mapping, and review of existing Primary Literacy Program (PLP) resources to identify initial needs. The proposed reading package will be reviewed by the Ministry of General Education (MOGE) to ensure coherence with MOGE policy and standards. The project also aims to develop training packages for teachers and coaches that address gaps in teacher knowledge, teach and/or reinforce key classroom practices, and are user-friendly for teachers and coaches. The training package will be developed through a review of secondary data on student achievement and classroom observations to identify initial training needs, and a review of Performance Tracking System (PTS) data on student achievement as well as classroom observations and feedback conducted by coaches to identify on-going training needs. The project will also develop additional teaching and learning materials (TLMs) that respond to gaps in the initial reading package, targeted needs of struggling learners, and customization of classroom instruction. The TLMs will be developed through a review of PTS and project monitoring data as well as classroom observations from coaches to identify targeted support needs, and a joint MOGE review of proposed TLMs package to ensure coherence with MOGE policy and standards. The project will use a variety of surveillance methods, including review of secondary data, classroom observations, and joint MOGE reviews, to monitor the quality of technical activities. The frequency of surveillance will vary depending on the task, with quarterly reviews for some tasks and annual reviews for others. The project will also use data to identify areas for continued training and support each year, and feed into the development of new training and coaching materials. The project anticipates challenges to quality, including incomplete data resulting in partial or inaccurate assumptions, lack of existing appropriate materials in required languages that meet standards for gender sensitivity, inclusiveness, and usability, and training package that does not address key information and practice needs of all teachers due to varying levels of experience and training of teachers and/or teacher turnover. The project will use multiple data sources to triangulate information, conduct targeted research, and develop a framework for additional teaching and learning materials to mitigate these challenges. The project will also use surveillance data in a process of continuous feedback to improve quality, and will adjust strategies and assumptions as needed. The project will review results and assumptions, and use data to identify areas for continued training and support each year, and feed into the development of new training and coaching materials. The project's performance standards and acceptable quality levels will be set out in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan Matrix, which outlines the performance standard, acceptable quality level, surveillance methods, frequency, responsible person, challenges to quality, mitigation measures, and feedback to implementation for each task. The matrix will be reviewed and revised on a regular basis to respond to the changing environment.