Reading Assessment Officer 16 views0 applications

Reading Assessment Officer

USAID Kenya Primary Education Evaluation and Assessment Program (KPEEAP)

SCOPE OF WORK

DAI works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients’ most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments. More information about DAI can be found on the DAI website (www.dai.com).

Project Background

The Kenya Primary Education Evaluation and Assessment Program (KPEEAP) is a four-year USAID education project supporting Kenya’s Ministry of Education (MOE) and other relevant semi-autonomous government agencies (SAGAs) through improved collection, integration, and use of education data and technology. The project objectives include:

1. Assess student learning progress under the Kenya Primary Literacy Program (KPLP), including developing a more cost-effective and sustainable assessment system,
2. Strengthen the GOK’s education data management systems for improved accountability, and
3. Support capacity building, technical assistance and training that advance the goals and objectives of KPLP, KPEEAP, and the MOE.

Mastering early grade reading is essential for a child’s future success both in education and life. Children who fail to develop literacy skills early in their lives face increasing challenges in their academic progress, which can limit their economic opportunities as adults. KPEEAP will build out a more effective and sustainable early grade reading assessment system, strengthen and integrate the MOE’s education data management systems, and strengthen capacity across Kenyan schools and education officials to monitor and support student progress. By improving assessment systems and enabling data-driven decision making, the project supports the MOE to boost literacy outcomes and close learning gaps. In partnership with the MOE and other key stakeholders, KPEEAP will help ensure that more Kenyan students meet national reading benchmarks, ultimately preparing them for greater success in school and beyond while contributing to Kenya’s broader development goals.

Objectives and Duties

The Reading Assessment Officer will work under the leadership of the DCOP/Reading Assessment Specialist to support KPEEAP IR 1. “Cost-effective and sustainable learning assessments and data management systems institutionalized” assessment activities and moderating learner assessment test items where appropriate. The Officer will also provide limited support for education data management systems and capacity building for education institutions to manage assessments and data systems (IR 2 and IR 3, respectively).

Essential Duties

• Assist in designing, developing and implementing the early grade reading assessments (EGRA) in accordance with global assessment criteria as outlined by the Institute for Statistics and internationally recognized best practices in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.
• Support the development of EGRAs ensuring alignment with KPLP instructional materials, the MOE’s CBC and Tusome materials.
• Ensure the design of EGRAs are suitable for Grades 1, 2, 3 for horizontal and vertical alignment, and are adapted for students with visual and hearing impairments following USAID’s Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidance.
• Ensure EGRA tools are aligned with Global Proficiency Framework (GPF) and the Minimum Proficiency Levels to fulfill content requirements for global reporting.
• Contribute to reports to USAID and stakeholders on the effectiveness of the KPLP interventions.
• Support pilot testing of the EGRA tools, data collection and data analysis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, social sciences, or related field from an accredited university.
• At least 4 years of relevant experience.
• Knowledge of competency based and school-based assessment, experience in assessment methodologies, assessment tools, and supporting implementation of assessments, including e-assessments desired.
• Experience in conducting continuous formative and summative assessments, accessing digital assessment content, and generating and analyzing assessment reports desired.
• Experience in successfully supporting early grade reading assessments in national reading programs in a developing country, preferably in Kenya or East Africa, is highly desired.
• Ability to write, communicate, and prepare reports clearly in English.

Location and Reporting

The location for this position is KPEEAP Office (remote in Nairobi, Kenya). The Reading Assessment Officer will report to the Deputy Chief of Party/Reading Assessment Specialist.