In 2016, RTI International suggested piloting additional subtasks to enhance the Early Grade Reading Assessment instrument. Researchers from RTI collaborated with a team of researchers in Accra, Ghana, to adapt, refine and pilot four subtasks. The work was funded under an EdData II task order, “Measurement and Research Support to Education Strategy Goal 1.” This report describes the skills assessed, the four subtasks, the pilot, and the results.

The EGRA has been a useful tool to understand students’ progress toward fluent reading. However, users are often left wanting additional information about reading comprehension, writing, and language. The subtasks that we piloted in the research activity described in this brief can give researchers and practitioners more detailed information to understand the early literacy abilities of students in low-income contexts.

Social and behavior change communication (SBCC) represents the culmination of decades of research and practice in the public health field, where communication has been a critical element of efforts to encourage positive health behaviors. A basic tenet of SBCC is that information is necessary but seldom sufficient to sustainably change behavior (C-Change, 2012). The methodology bridges the gap between awareness and action by influencing the beliefs that can block or enable needed behavior change.

The EGMA Toolkit provides detailed information about the Early Grade Mathematics Assessment. The first chapter provides an introduction to the instrument and summarizes the purposes of the assessment. Chapter 2 discusses the development of the EGMA, including the theoretical foundations of the instrument. Chapter 3 details the technical adequacy of the EGMA. Chapter 4 provides information on adaptation and training.

This report, commissioned by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Education Data for Decision Making (EdData) II Program, focuses on ways educational institutions in the tourism and electronics sectors in the Lower Mekong region can better meet private-sector demand and increase the employability of youth. It is designed to provide context and further detail to the labor market assessments (LMA) produced under the USAID Connecting the Mekong through Education and Training (COMET) program. The study was conducted from March to May 2016, with on-the-ground interviews of over 70 Lower Mekong employers and education institutions, as well as significant literature review.

To reinforce school-based education efforts, increased attention is being paid to what happens when children are not in school, especially when they are at home. This report presents the key findings from a survey conducted in two regions of Senegal in April 2015 to determine the reading support that children receive at home. The survey sample was drawn from schools in which the Associates in Research and Education for Development (ARED), a Senegalese nongovernmental organization (NGO), is implementing a bilingual (French/Wolof) curriculum in grade 1 (designated as “CI” in Senegal) and grade 3 (CE1). Schools were selected from two zones in Senegal: (1) Kaolack, which serves as the intervention area; and (2) Rufisque, which serves as the control area.

From December 2014 to June 2015, the Nigeria Reading and Access Research Activity (RARA) evaluated the effectiveness of an instructional approach to improving Hausa early grade reading outcomes among Primary 2 pupils in the Northern Nigerian states of Bauchi and Sokoto. The approach was designed and implemented by RTI International, in collaboration with Nigerian education authorities, in particular the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) of Bauchi and Sokoto, as well as Colleges of Education (COEs) in these states. It was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Education Data for Decision Making (EdData II) mechanism (www.eddataglobal.org). This report presents the results of the reading approach evaluation on teacher practices, children's reading outcomes, and instructional leadership.

This four-page brief provides an overview of the learning and other advantages of providing educational instruction in mother tongue, or familiar, languages. The brief also contains information on factors to consider when developing a mother tongue-based education program.

The Tanzania National Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) aims to gather data about the progress of Standard 2 students against the national benchmarks developed and adopted in 2014 and to collect contextual information about the implementation of the 3Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetic) reforms for early grade teachers in Tanzania. The pilot study is an important part of the life cycle of the study because the information collected helps us improve several aspects of our data collection for the full survey. This report will provide an introduction to the pilot study, describe the analyses conducted, discuss quality control measures implemented during the pilot, and explain how the assessment instruments were finalized based on the pilot study data.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are the focus of the 3Rs campaign, a derivative of the Big Results Now initiative enacted by the Government of Tanzania in 2013. As one of the six focal areas anticipated to elevate Tanzania from a low- to middle-income country, education, particularly primary education, is receiving increased attention. In July 2013, planning commenced for the National Baseline Assessment for 3Rs (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic) Using Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA), and Snapshot of School Management Effectiveness (SSME). The assessment was conducted in October of the same year. The purpose of the assessment was to establish the baseline achievement levels of Grade 2 students, specifically with regard to their foundational skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic. This brief summarizes the results of the national baseline