This manual was created at the request of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is a tool to guide individuals who are implementing a pilot application in locations that have not previously tested it. The assumption is that they will be gauging the appropriateness and effectiveness of using the method within that context as a routine monitoring tool. LEMA is an adaptation of a monitoring approach known as Lot Quality Assurance Sampling. (LQAS). LQAS uses small sample sizes and binary indicators to classify local areas as meeting or not meeting minimum performance standards. This approach was first developed in the 1920s as a way to monitor the quality of manufacturing production. A small sample of items would be randomly selected from a production lot and examined for any imperfections. If the number of defective items within the lot was greater than a pre-set threshold level, then the entire lot was rejected (Robertson et al., 1997, p. 199). Rejected lots were then “examined more closely and either repaired or discarded” (MEASURE Evaluation Project 1998, p. 5). The downloads link to the toolkit (3000 kb) and a related presentation (7000 kb).

Labor markets desperately need information to function effectively and efficiently, making labor market information systems critical public investments. Yet government systems face significant challenges in collecting quality data, turning it into useable market intelligence, and disseminating it in a timely, relevant manner, a situation more acute in developing countries. The rise of private, real-time labor market information (LMI), such as web-based job posting analytics, social network inferences, crowdsourcing, and mobile phone polling, has garnered interest and questioned the dominance of traditional approaches. This brief explores the use of real-time LMI and presents interviews conducted with international donor officials to gain their perspectives on its applicability in developing countries. I suggest that real-time LMI is unlikely to supplant traditional LMI collection anytime soon, and I dispel notions that these new approaches might leapfrog current data collection challenges. Real-time LMI can provide useful in special cases and for supplemental analysis, an additional lubricant for labor markets that suffer from weak data. Policy that supports the improvement of traditional LMI and promotes access to real-time LMI is warranted.

Current approaches to secondary school are producing high numbers of dropouts and low numbers of students well prepared for college and careers. Given global demand for better education quality and relevance, a reform movement in the US that blends rigorous academic learning and applied technical study may be of interest to other countries. Yet the transport of a successful approach from one country to another must be carefully considered and implemented, with attention paid to local political economy and education system variables. This policy brief discusses the successful US approach—called Linked Learning—and RTI International's approach to adapting it for other country contexts.

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.

This article points out the increase in RCT's for impact evaluation, and reports on a recent conference at the Center for Global Development to take stock of RCTs in development. The article mentions the RCTs in Kenya's Tusome program that have been influential because of collaboration with local governments.

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

In July 2013, 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) was initiated. The purpose of this assessment was to monitor the achievement levels of students in the early grades with regard to foundational skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

The attached document is the Arabic-adapted Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) Toolkit, Second Edition. The Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) Toolkit, Second Edition is the product of ongoing collaboration among a large community of scholars, practitioners, government officials, and education development professionals to advance the cause of early reading assessment and acquisition among primary school children in low-income countries. In the interest of consolidating diverse experiences and developing a reasonably standardized approach to assessing children’s early reading acquisition, this “toolkit,” or user manual, serves as a guide for countries beginning to work with EGRA in such areas as local adaptation of the instrument, fieldwork, and analysis of results This toolkit is intended for use by Ministry or Department of Education staff, donor staff, practitioners, and professionals in the field of education development working specifically in Arabic-speaking contexts. The document seeks to summarize a large body of research in an accessible manner. The procedures described in this toolkit are to be used in all USAID-funded administrations of EGRA and, it is hoped, in all other EGRA administrations as well.

The attached document is the French-adapted Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) Toolkit, Second Edition. It is the product of ongoing collaboration among a large community of scholars, practitioners, government officials, and education development professionals to advance the cause of early reading assessment and acquisition among primary school children in low-income countries. In the interest of consolidating diverse experiences and developing a reasonably standardized approach to assessing children’s early reading acquisition, this “toolkit,” or user manual, serves as a guide for countries beginning to work with EGRA in such areas as local adaptation of the instrument, fieldwork, and analysis of results. This toolkit is intended for use by Ministry or Department of Education staff, donor staff, practitioners, and professionals in the field of education development working specifically for French-speaking contexts. The document, seeks to summarize a large body of research in an accessible manner. The procedures described in this toolkit are to be used in all USAID-funded administrations of EGRA and, it is hoped, in all other EGRA administrations as well.