Investing in learning outcomes: findings from an independent evaluation of the Russia Education Aid for Development (READ) Trust Fund program

The goal of the Russia Education Aid for Development (READ) Trust Fund program was to increase educational assessment capacity in developing countries. Funded by the Russian Government and overseen by a council made up of Russian Government appointees and World Bank officials, it operated from 2008 to 2015. The READ Council asked the World Bank to commission an independent review of the Trust Fund’s impact to identify strengths and weaknesses in design and implementation. The findings would be used to inform the development of other donor-led trust funds and to guide the design of any future iteration of the READ program. The Trust Fund’s emphasis on the quality of education and focus on learning outcomes makes it an ideal candidate for evaluation. In addition to capturing knowledge about what worked and what was difficult, this evaluation is also an opportunity to document the experience of a large institution working with and adapting to a new, significant donor with distinct needs, priorities, and norms of practice. The review explores eight broad themes: 1) global achievements of the READ program; 2) country-level achievements of the READ program; 3) donor-side achievements of the READ program; 4) World Bank-side achievements of the READ program; 5) strengths of the READ program; 6) weaknesses of the READ program; 7) opportunities for more global work on learning outcomes; and 8) the shape and design of READ. It does not cover READ reimbursable advisory services, which supported Russia’s Center for International Cooperation in Education Development (CICED).