External evaluation of the Support for High-School Roma students in Romania (REF RO 033) Attila Papp Z., PhD Cluj, 11 December, 2008

Objectives of the project to support excellence in education of Roma students to support excellence in education of Roma students to increase a total number of 275 Roma students’ GPA by at least 0.5 to increase a total number of 275 Roma students’ GPA by at least 0.5 to provide educational support in the form of individualized mentoring to the same 275 students during the project period ( ). to provide educational support in the form of individualized mentoring to the same 275 students during the project period ( ). to increase the number of Roma students who further their education in high school and beyond the compulsory education. to increase the number of Roma students who further their education in high school and beyond the compulsory education.

Objectives of the evaluation the assessment of management and project implementation the assessment of management and project implementation the assessment of the beneficiaries school achievments, school attendance, relationship with peers and with teachers the assessment of the beneficiaries school achievments, school attendance, relationship with peers and with teachers the assessment of efficiency and results provided by the mentorship scheme of the program the assessment of efficiency and results provided by the mentorship scheme of the program elaboration of school based case studies with the aim of summing up lessons learnt and monitoring the school environment. elaboration of school based case studies with the aim of summing up lessons learnt and monitoring the school environment.

Methodology Methodology document analysis document analysis quantitative methods (applying questionnaries to mentors and students) quantitative methods (applying questionnaries to mentors and students) qualitative methods (interviews and focus group discussions) qualitative methods (interviews and focus group discussions)

Contexts of educational policies Contexts of educational policies demographic data demographic data the nature of educational interventions the nature of educational interventions “domestic” in(ter)ventions “domestic” in(ter)ventions adaptation of international experiences adaptation of international experiences Bottom-up vs. top-down interventions Bottom-up vs. top-down interventions

Level of education by ethnic group (population over age 10)

Assessment of management and project implementation Assessment of management and project implementation partnership partnership partnership between NGO’s partnership between NGO’s deep relationships deep relationships possibilities to build new (type of) relationships possibilities to build new (type of) relationships partnership between NGO’s and public institutions (school inspectorates, ministry, schools) partnership between NGO’s and public institutions (school inspectorates, ministry, schools) objectives of the project objectives of the project Is there a common “vocabulary” regarding our common goals? Is there a common “vocabulary” regarding our common goals? Elitism vs. increasing school chances (retention rate) Elitism vs. increasing school chances (retention rate) existence of latent goals of the project existence of latent goals of the project

Assessment of school achievments Assessment of school achievments Differences between students Differences between students from theoretical high schools and vocational schools from theoretical high schools and vocational schools at 9th grade and 10th, 11th grades at 9th grade and 10th, 11th grades Different scholarships entail each other or neutralize their efficiency Different scholarships entail each other or neutralize their efficiency The more the money students have the higher the school achievment? The more the money students have the higher the school achievment?

School achievement by type of school

School achievement – theoretical schools

School achievement – vocational schools

School achievement by no. of scholarships

Evolution of absences by no. of scholarships

School achievements by affirmative measures

Assessment of mentorship Assessment of mentorship Role of individual mentorships Role of individual mentorships Role in helping students to increase their school achievements Role in helping students to increase their school achievements Role in extracurricular activities Role in extracurricular activities Role in strenghtening of school-parents relationships Role in strenghtening of school-parents relationships

Lessons from case studies Contradictions between Contradictions between the decentralization process in education and the decentralization process in education and the heir of centralization the heir of centralization Existence of local school culture determined by Existence of local school culture determined by The type of the city (small and bigger cities) The type of the city (small and bigger cities) The rate of roma (and other ethnic minorities) students in school The rate of roma (and other ethnic minorities) students in school The type of the school The type of the school Local school environment influences Local school environment influences The prestige of the mentor inside the school The prestige of the mentor inside the school The nature of school-parents relationships The nature of school-parents relationships

Challenges/Recommendations Creation of a common language of the project Creation of a common language of the project Who is the real target group of the support project? Who is the real target group of the support project? Adjusment of collaboration between NGO’s Adjusment of collaboration between NGO’s Creation of professional network between mentors Creation of professional network between mentors Creation of networks between students Creation of networks between students Creation, adaptation and application of new measures technique (besides the GPA) Creation, adaptation and application of new measures technique (besides the GPA) Institualization of the participation and the role of roma parents in the project Institualization of the participation and the role of roma parents in the project

Thank you for your attention!