Abstract
The Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Reads Capacity Program (LRCP) is a six-year program initiated in 2014 with the purpose of increasing the impact, scale, and sustainability of early grade reading (EGR) interventions in the LAC region. LRCP provided ministries of education and other relevant stakeholders with the necessary awareness, knowledge, and tools to increase EGR achievement. LRCP has been implemented primarily in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. This performance evaluation was undertaken to inform midcourse adjustments in program implementation for the remainder of the LRCP and any possible extensions, as well as to inform ongoing and future regional and bilateral USAID programming. It addresses two questions: (1) How effective has the LRCP been in achieving its goals by result and by country to date? and (2) What are the strengths and weaknesses of the LRCP approach to catalyzing reading improvement through policy-level interventions? Quantitative and qualitative data gathered for the evaluation revealed that LRCP has consolidated and disseminated EGR research and resources from the LAC region, yet the use of them by key stakeholders remains limited. EGR building the capacity of ministry of education staff, teachers, members of NGOs, and other stakeholders was reported to be the most important LRCP contribution. Bases established for sustainability include a critical mass of EGR stakeholders, a momentum for EGR improvement, alliances, and a regional network for EGR research.