Lithuanian Education Quality Management: System of School Internal and External Audits

1. Lithuanian Education Quality Management:System of School Internal and External Audits Ričardas Ališauskas Head of Education Development Division of the Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania Ricardas.Alisauskas@smm.lt Bucharest May 6, 2004

2. Linking Policies and Actions to Outcomes Policy Action Education Improvement Project Education Quality Management System Teaching and Learning Conditions Rehabilitation of School Buildings Quality and effectiveness School Network Optimisation Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

3. Non-reflective business cycle Implementation (Actions) Planning (Development of schedule of actions) Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

4. Random vs. reflective learning Reflective learning Random learning Project Project Reflect Plan Draw conclusions Find more effective way Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

5. Reflective quality management cycle Actions towards goals Implementation PlanningMonitoring Analysis Setting goals and measures Monitoring of progress and success Finding strengths and weaknesses Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

6. Quality management system Implementation Planning Monitoring Analysis National level Implementation Planning Monitoring Analysis Regional level Implementation Planning Monitoring Analysis School level Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

7. Investments into Education Quality Management System Policy options and monitoring of progress Information needs of managers satisfied Data on Quality and Equality of schools Performance standards of schools raised Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

8. Challenges of the Project Philosophy:Changing the Culture • From administration to quality management • need for attitudes in order to work well and seek quality • From compliance to school improvement • trust people – improve processes • dissemination of the best practice • From quality as an instruction to the agreement • need to involve school community • need to follow-up national & regional policy • need of expectation-oriented and preventive thinking • From opinion to data based decision making • need of indicators, standards, evidences, evaluation Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

9. Attitudes Basic Questions Agreement What does quality mean? Do we want to work well? How are we doing? How do we know? What are we going to do now? Reflection Evidences Improvement Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

10. ©Internal Audit Methodology, 2002 Schools Internal Audit Structure Curriculum, Attainment, Learning & Teaching, Support for Pupils, Ethos, Resources, Management & Quality Assurance 32 indicators 1-5 criteria per indicator 1-5 criteria per indicator 1-5 criteria per indicator Levels of performance Levels of performance Levels of performance 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 Illustrations for levels (at least 4 & 2) Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

11. Schools Internal Audit Process Reflection 1. Preparation (learning & planning) 3. Taking a closer look at 7 key areas per 3 years: • identifying appropriate evidences (illustration) • selecting data sources & methodology of collection • creating instruments & collection of data • data analysis & summary of findings 2. Taking a broad view across all 7 key areas • Strengths & Weaknesses based on intuition Agreement 4. Presentation of audit findings Evidences 5. Planning of school improvement Improvement Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

12. Schools Improvement External Audit • Trust people – improve processes • The concept of 10-5 (or 3-2) audit (finding 10 strengths & suggesting 5 targets for improvement) • Recognition of social, educational and economic context of the school itself (has the EA helped to this school to improve education of these children?) • Adequate to the Internal Audit • Same philosophy, indicators & criteria • Based on Internal Audit reports • Accountability • Publishing short External Audit reports • Providing data for national & regional monitoring Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

13. Implementation of Internal Audit • Pilot: • Looking for models (study visits & seminars for experts) • Pilot in 6 schools, drafting Methodology with Consultant • Pilot in 28 schools, approval of Methodology • Dissemination: • Publishing Methodology • Training of 73 trainers • 3 day seminar for every school principle • 2 day seminars in every school, 1 day consultations • dissemination of good practice (publications, conferences) Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

14. Implementation of External Audit • Pilot: • Selection of Consultant, discussions • Drafting Methodology & Code of Practice • Selecting 8 municipalities to pilot Methodology • Training of 18 chief auditors, 4 pilot external audits • Dissemination: • Changes in Laws & Regulations • Establishing National Center for External Audit • Training up to 100 auditors • Implementation of External Audit in every municipality Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

15. Lessons from our experience • Involve users into development of procedures • Make school principles and other managers your partners • Develop specific (not only general) training modules • Don’t save too much on dissemination and work with school community • Begin with believers, end with the whole community Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits

16. Linking Policies and Actions to Outcomes Policy Action Education Improvement Project Quality Assurance Learning Organisation Quality and effectiveness Energy Efficiency Balance of Quality and Access Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits