Lithuanian Education Quality Management: System of

School Internal and External Audits

Ričardas AlišauskasHead of Education Development Division

of the Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania

Ricardas.Alisauskas@smm.lt

Bucharest May 6, 2004

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Ričardas Ališauskas. System of School Internal and External Audits 2

Linking Policies and Actions to Outcomes

Teaching and Learning Conditions

Education Quality Management

System Rehabilitation of School Buildings

School Network Optimisation

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Non-reflective business cycle

Implementation(Actions)

Planning(Development of schedule of actions)

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Random vs. reflective learning

Random learning

Project Project

Reflect

Draw conclusions

Find more effective way

Plan

Reflective learning

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Reflective quality management cycle

Implementation

Planning Monitoring

Analysis

Finding strengths and weaknesses

Actions towards goals

Mon

itorin

g o

f p

rog

ress a

nd

su

ccess

Sett

ing

goals

an

d

measu

res

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Quality management system

Implementation

Planning Monitoring

AnalysisNational level

Regional level

School levelImplementation

Planning Monitoring

Analysis

Implementation

Planning Monitoring

Analysis

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Investments into Education Quality Management System

Student Achievement

Studies

Policy Analysis

E M I S

Internal & External Audit

Information needs of

managers satisfied

Performance standards of schools

raised

Data on Quality and Equality of

schools

Policy options and monitoring of progress

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Challenges of the Project Philosophy:Changing the Culture

From administration to quality managementneed for attitudes in order to work well and seek

qualityFrom compliance to school improvement

trust people – improve processesdissemination of the best practice

From quality as an instruction to the agreementneed to involve school communityneed to follow-up national & regional policyneed of expectation-oriented and preventive thinking

From opinion to data based decision makingneed of indicators, standards, evidences, evaluation

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Basic QuestionsDo we want

to work well?What does

quality mean?

What are we going to

do now?

How do we

know?

How are we

doing?

Attitudes

Agreement

Reflection

Evidences

Improvement

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Schools Internal Audit StructureCurriculum, 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)

© Internal Audit Methodology, 2002

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Schools Internal Audit Process1. Preparation (learning & planning)

2. Taking a broad view across all 7 key areasStrengths & Weaknesses based on intuition

3. Taking a closer look at 7 key areas per 3 years:identifying appropriate evidences (illustration)selecting data sources & methodology of collectioncreating instruments & collection of datadata analysis & summary of findings

4. Presentation of audit findings

5. Planning of school improvement

Reflection

Evidences

Improvement

Agreement

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Schools Improvement External AuditTrust 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

AuditSame philosophy, indicators & criteriaBased on Internal Audit reportsAccountability

Publishing short External Audit reportsProviding data for national & regional monitoring

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Implementation of Internal AuditPilot:

Looking for models (study visits & seminars for experts)

Pilot in 6 schools, drafting Methodology with ConsultantPilot in 28 schools, approval of Methodology

Dissemination:Publishing MethodologyTraining of 73 trainers3 day seminar for every school principle2 day seminars in every school, 1 day consultationsdissemination of good practice (publications, conferences)

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Implementation of External AuditPilot:

Selection of Consultant, discussionsDrafting Methodology & Code of PracticeSelecting 8 municipalities to pilot MethodologyTraining of 18 chief auditors, 4 pilot external audits

Dissemination:Changes in Laws & RegulationsEstablishing National Center for External AuditTraining up to 100 auditorsImplementation of External Audit in every municipality

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Lessons from our experience

Involve users into development of proceduresMake school principles and other managers your

partnersDevelop specific (not only general) training

modulesDon’t save too much on dissemination and work

with school communityBegin with believers, end with the whole

community

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Linking Policies and Actions to Outcomes

Learning Organisation

Quality Assurance

Energy Efficiency

Balance of Quality and Access