Roma Education Research Project

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Roma Education Research Project
An IEP Initiative to Inform the OSI Networks
Strategic Thinking in Equity for Education for
the Roma Minority CHRISTINA MCDONALD
IEP, OSI-BP
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Background
In September 2000, IEP commissioned a focused
research project to examine and learn from
existing educational programs serving Roma
children.
The research project documented the effectiveness
of various Roma education projects in answering a
set of research questions.
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7 Projects
BULGARIA Intercultural Education -
Curriculum Development and Teacher Training
CZECH Roma Teaching Assistants
HUNGARY Mentored and Non- Mentored Scholarships
SLOVAKIA Centers offering educational
assistance to preschool and elementary school
students
YUGOSLAVIA Centers offering adapted Step by
Step Methodology
MACEDONIA Center offering educational assistance
to parents and their children from pre-school
to 12
ROMANIA Training, materials, and technical
assistance to promote school wide reform
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Informing OSI Policy
The research project was, in fact, an
instrument by which to inform strategic education
decisions, policy, for the OSI Network.
Why was this necessary to undertake?
The OSI Sub Board requested an informed and
expert opinion regarding where and how
expenditures should be spent in programming for
Roma education. This research was a first step
towards better understanding good practice,
impact, budget considerations and cooperation
with government.
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An Open PROCESS

• A Research Steering Group proposed a set of
  questions to be answered
• Questions were then sent to program managers and
  directors in OSI Budapest and OSI New York for
  feedback
• Feedback was incorporated and questions were
  refined by all the researchers and project
  managers whose programs were included in the
  research.
• This process resulted in four key research
  questions, which have served as the focus of this
  research project

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What did the research set out to answer?

• Question 1 Have the selected Roma education
  programs succeeded in (A) getting and keeping
  more Roma children in school through graduation
  and (B) improving the educational attainment of
  Roma children?
• Question 2 Have the selected Roma education
  programs succeeded in promoting (A) changes in
  attitudes toward Roma children among teachers and
  other adult school staff, (B) changes in
  attitudes towards Roma children among non-Roma
  children and their parents, and (C) changes in
  self-characterization by Roma children?

• Question 3 How have the selected Roma
  education programs promoted institutional or
  policy changes in the national education systems
  which advance the goals of equity and educational
  success for Roma children?
• Question 4 What is the feasibility of
  replicating aspects or elements of the selected
  Roma education programs at other sites in the
  same country, or in other countries within the
  region taking into consideration factors such as
  cost, resource needs, institutional support, and
  culture?

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DESIGN
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Participatory Approach
Emphasizes the Active Engagement of...
PROGRAM DESIGNERS
INDEPENDENT TEAM OF LOCAL RESEARCHERS
PROGRAM STAFF
PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
SOROS FOUND.
in the research process
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DESIGN
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Informing Practice and Policy in Countries of
the Region
PRACTICE
1. Research reflected on the strengths and
weaknesses of the 7 programs. Feedback is given
to each program, and the supporting Soros
Foundation (when applicable), on how they can
improve their practice.
2. Has nurtured a concept for the development of
an integrated program for Soros Foundations,
NGOs, donors, who would like to know what to
support in the future.
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POLICY 1. International Level - make general
systemic policy recommendations -- i.e those that
could be considered and discussed across the
region. Identified common policy issues and
general policy recommendations across all the
programs -- taking into account significant
differences in culture, government, economics,
education system, etc.
2. National Level - Working in cooperation with
the Soros Foundation and key actors from a
specific country to apply the key policy
recommendations emerging from the international
report, but applied to the specific context of
the country and its programs. Result in the
production of country-specific policy
recommendations.
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Policy Analysis An Example
Causal Relationship lower attendance less
exposure to lessons lower learning and
academic achievement
Attendance of Roma Students in School
Policy Problem Not engaged in curriculum content
Program Strategy Include accurate information on
Roma in curriculum
Policy Recommendations
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Policy Recommendations

• Create high-quality instructional materials on
  Roma literature, culture, and history.
• Create a curriculum framework to provide teachers
  guidance in the classroom use of the
  instructional materials.
• Distribute both instructional materials and
  curriculum frameworks to all schools in the
  country.
• Certify or establish training activities focusing
  on strategies for incorporating these
  instructional materials into classroom lessons
  and teaching practices.