November 18, 2013

Presentation to CLEAR,

Regional Centers for Learning on

Evaluation and Results

Research and evaluation for

change:

the role of Civil Society

in education policy

Mexicanos Primero…

•An independent citizen initiative that aims to promote the right

to quality education (right to learn) in Mexico.

•Seeks to change civic culture, so that shared responsibility,

demand and citizen participation are put to use to improve

public policy, transparency and accountability in the national

education system.

•Beyond partisan or group interests, we promote putting

Mexicans first.

•The Academic Council, experts in the

field of education whom we consult

pro-bono.

•The Staff, dedicated professionals

committed full-time to the cause.

•A growing network of allies – other

CSO,

parents, teachers, students and

citizens

– interested in improving education

quality in

Mexico.

•The Board of Directors, made up of the founding partners of the

initiative, who, under the leadership of the President and General

Director, define, through consensus, lines of action.

•The Donors, composed of young entrepreneurs who invest – under a

membership system – to fund the operation and endowment of the

organization.

Who we are…

• Research, inform, activate,

advocate, influence and

defend.

• Qualify the demand rather

than expand the supply of

education.

• Focus on impact:

1. Define the agenda.

2. Set the terms of discussion.

3. Influence decision making.

What we

do…

•Build authority through

expert knowledge: Applied

Research and Evaluation.

•Inform public opinion:

Communication.

•Activate society:

Mobilization and relationship

building.

Our model for

change…

Our projects

Annual reports on the

State of Education in

Mexico

Exclusion of the

most vulnerable

Consequences

of low education

quality

The world will not wait

Goals and pathways

for change Spending to learn

Put the State back in charge of education

Teacher professionalization

Transparent and efficient spending

School autonomy and participation

Four pathways for change…

State stewardship of education

originates in and is limited by the

mandate of its citizens.

= Democratic authority, not

authoritarianism

= Timely, systematic and orderly

accountability to citizens

Put the State back in charge of

education

Civil Society plays a critical role in ensuring

the correct application of State stewardship

Teacher

professionalization

Aprendizaje (learning)

Beneficio para la

comunidad (benefit to the

community)

Certificación (certification)

• Promote social recognition and appreciation of

exemplary Mexican teachers.

• Develop, deepen, and implement holistic models of

teacher evaluation.

• Build a network of teachers, a community of practice,

and create spaces and opportunities for the exchange

of experiences, projects and practices.

• Written

application

• Documentary

evidence

• Classroom

observation

• Interviews

(candidate,

students,

colleagues,

parents)

Holistic models of teacher

evaluation

Transparent and efficient

spending

• Focus on spending – not budgeting –

and its relation to the right to learn

• Evaluate the current state of education

spending in Mexico – design, budget

cycle, political economy, relationship to

teaching and learning

• Recommendations to move from

misspending to good spending

“Learning to spend and spending

to learn”

School autonomy and participation

• How PEC-FIDE was born

- Gaps and inequity in existing

programs

• 332 schools, 57,760 students

• Role of MP in development,

implementation and evaluation of

PEC-FIDE

- Program design

- Promote to government

- Finance evaluation

- Participate in Advisory Council

School-based management

to close learning gaps

•Lack of clarity around key concepts - Development of “Students at risk” toolkit

•Unintended consequences of funding guidelines - Establishment of minimum funding floors

•Negative impacts of delays in distribution of funds - Interlocutor between communities and government

•Lack of project consistency with change in

government - Meeting with schools, states, federal

government

and civil society organizations

Role of evaluation and civil

society in PEC-FIDE

Thank you!