SCALING UP THROUGH LOCALIZED SOLUTIONS ACROSS ASIA AND AFRICA

Jenny Alexander, Christina Kwauk, and Jenny Perlman Robinson ROOM TO READ SCALING UP LITERACY THROUGH LOCALIZED Sincere gratitude and appreciation to Priyanka Varma, research assistant, who has been instrumental in the production of the Room to Read case study. SOLUTIONS ACROSS ASIA

We are also thankful to a wide-range of colleagues who generously shared their knowledge and AND AFRICA feedback on the Room to Read case study, including: Sourav Banerjee, Unmesh Brahme, Tim Carlberg, Luis Crouch, Lauren Hadi, Cory Heyman, Tressa Johnson, Matthew Jukes, Vishnu Karki, Phong Le, Emily Leys, Cynthia Lloyd, Lynn Murphy, Sara Peracca, and Kim Wright Violich.

Lastly, we would like to extend a special thank you to the following: our copy-editor, Alfred Imhoff, our designer, blossoming.it, and our colleagues, Kathryn Norris and Jennifer Tyre.

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s) and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

Support for this publication and research effort was generously provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and The MasterCard Foundation. The authors also wish to acknowledge the broader programmatic support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the LEGO Foundation, and the Government of Norway.

Brookings recognizes that the value it provides is in its absolute commitment to quality, independence, and impact. Activities supported by its donors reflect this commitment, and the analysis and recommendations are not determined or influenced by any donation. Jenny Alexander, Christina Kwauk, and Jenny Perlman Robinson 4 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa Early-grade literacy program for primaryschoolchildren FOCUS OFINTERVENTION: and , , , , , , , , , LOCATION: Primary LEVEL: at aglance Room to Read Zambia Tanzania South Africa India Nepal Sri Lanka

Bangladesh Vietnam Cambodia Laos received professional development inliteracy instruction. communities across 10 countries. year. Since 2000, more than10millionchildren have benefitedfrom all Room to Read programs in 17,500 Direct reach—Approximately 1millionnewchildren were affected by Room to Read’s Literacy Program each SIZE: schools orotherinvestors) and$9.9 millionwas from in-kinddonations. corporations, 6 percent from foundations, 2 percent from bilateral grants and contracts, and 2 percent from total of $42.9 millionof itsbudgetmadeup of cashdonations(64 percent from individuals,26 percent from were 81 percent of programmatic expenses (includingLiteracy andSchoolInfrastructure program areas). A Room toRead’s 2014 annual budget was $52.8million.Total expenditures for itsLiteracy Program in2014 COST: thatmeasuresAssessment, decoding,fluency, and reading comprehension) and reading habits Literacy, includingreading skills(through similartotheEarly areading andwritingassessment, Grade Reading OFLEARNINGMEASURED: TYPE become lifelong, independent readers. to librarians. Together, theseefforts seektodevelop children’s reading skillsandtheirhabit of reading sothatthey assess theirstudents’ reading improvement over time, whilelibrary management facilitators provide similarfeedback processes, literacy coachesprovide feedback teachers withactionable toimprove theirteachingmethodsand areand library integrated activities tocreate environments thatpromote reading. Through structured monitoring coaches are placedinclassrooms alongsideteachers toprovide throughout instructionalsupport theintervention, lesson plans,classroom materials,andcomprehensive professional development resources for teachers. Literacy Read’s Literacy Program withitscountries’ works inconjunction existing languagecurriculaandincludesdetailed and writing;engages families, communities, andgovernment leaders in the school’s reform efforts. Room to children’s locallanguages;trains teachers andlibrarians inscientifically basedinstructionalmethodsin reading is anintervention basedinprimaryschoolthatensures thatschoolshave astructured library with books inthe acquisition andsecondaryschoolfor girls’ education.Room toRead’s Literacy Program, thefocus of thiscasestudy, within schools during two periods that are critical in a child’s particularly schooling: early primary school for literacy Saharan Africa.It doessothrough literacy andgirls’ educationprogramming thatfocuses onsystemic changes with localcommunities, organizations, partner andgovernments toimprove children’s learningacross Asia andsub- Room toRead (2000—present) isaneducation-focused nongovernmental organization thatworks incollaboration INTERVENTIONOVERVIEW: reading andtimedevoted activities toreading of children and youth (Cambodia, Vietnam, andZambia). (Nepal andTanzania), andshaping nationallibrary policiesandpractices thathave onthe adirect impact national literacy textbooks (Cambodia andLaos), developing early grade reading andinstruction materials Individual country programs have engaged to varying degrees with their respective governments in revising by 51 compared percent, with31percent for children in comparisonschools.Nationalpolicy-level influence— children inIndia, Laos, Nepal, andSriLanka whoenjoy reading for pleasure athomeandinschoolincreased that were two and a half times greater than children in comparison schools. than incomparisonschools;andZambia, grade 2children experienced two-year gainsinreading fluency Core literacyskills—In Laos, grade 1students experienced one-year gainsinreading fluency 12 timesgreater IMPACT: Indirect reach—To date, more than 18,000 teachers and librarians have

Reading habits—The proportion of 5 6 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa to booksandother quality reading with accesstoa physical school or prevents themfrom providing children a desperate lackof resources, which areas, isthatsomegovernments face underlying cause, especially inrural multifaceted andcomplex. But one the most basicskillsinchildren are delivering ontheirpromise todevelop The reasons why schoolsare not Sperling, Winthrop, andKwauk 2015). in modernsociety(Room toRead 2013; foundational skillsneededtoparticipate ballotbecause theyor anelection lackthe medicine bottle’s label,anemployment ad, understand, for example, instructions on a of millions of more adultswho cannot systems, but also in terms of the addition terms of thestatus of nationaleducation “learning crisis” not just are in bleak, (Pritchett 2014). Theimplicationsof this grades, they are unlikely toever catchup such asreading andwritingintheearly children missoutonlearningbasicskills Centre 2015). Research suggests that once read atthesecond-grade level (ASER fewer thanhalfof fifth-grade students can percent of children are enrolled in school, For example, inrural India, although95 learning iseven starker atthelocallevel. (UNESCO 2014). Thegapinaccessand children are inschoolfor four years millionofdespite thefactthese that130 perform basicmathematicalcalculations, to read andcomprehend asimpletext or approximately million children 250 still fail school. Despite thisprogress inaccess, of girlsandboys are now enrolled in fallen by almost half, andarecord number number of out-of-school children has During the last decade andahalf, the Background

case study. readers provides thebackdrop for this children so that they could become educatorswork supporting toteach exponentially withinafew years—its later local schools—an endeavor thatgrew largely by providing bookdonationsto ground. AlthoughRoom toRead began to individualcommunities onthe channeled through local governments network of international donors and byeducation, supported apassionate mobilization of globalresources for above couldbefound inthephilanthropic solution to the resource problem noted and hiscolleaguesbelieved thata genesis, seeWood 2007, 2014). Wood (for more onthe story of Room toRead’s libraries, andenhanceliteracy instruction and Africa—tobuildschools,establish in Nepal, andthenthroughout Asia working withrural communities—first they created Room toRead andstarted Erin andDinesh Ganju Shrestha, when executive, andhiscofounders which stepped , aformer In 2000, thiswas just thespaceinto literacy skills. of reading, let alone acquire lifelong to expect children todevelop thehabit in effective itishardreading activities, who know how toengagetheirstudents promotes reading andwithoutteachers environment thatincludesbooksor literacy isahard one. Without alearning languages. In thesecontexts, theroad to supplementary reading materialsinlocal use of storybooks,andother nonfiction, training inliteracy instructionandthe teachers withinstructionalmaterialsand materials, orfrom providing their

more readingTheseinitial opportunities. donated books,toprovide children with library spaces and filling them with could read; andestablishing dedicated and creating more room where children improving thequalityof learningspaces building andrepairing schools,thereby Suchthe most. quickwinsincluded resources towhere they were needed donors thebeneficialeffect of moving thatdemonstratedactivities toearly The program beganwithkey, quick-win skills andreading habitsatayoung age. order toenablethemdevelop literacy interventions earlyinchildren’s lives in leaders focused theorganization on achieve such widereach, Room toRead’s To pave theroad toliteracy, and to and illustrators. school staff; and over localauthors 1,286 18,000 teachers, librarians, andother they work; Room toRead 2014); over whom comefrom thecommunities where across its1,000 staff (87 percent of isalsofeltcountries, itsimpact worldwide implemented in17,500 communities in10 planned. Andwithitsprograms being children by 2020 five years earlierthan achieved itsgoalof 10million supporting (Room toRead 2014). Room toRead languages from29 its program countries and publishedover 1,000 booktitlesin schools, donatedover 1millionbooks, libraries, constructedover18,500 1,900 The organization hasestablished nearly children in2,167 schoolsin10countries. Program has reached nearly 10 million Africa. To date, Room toRead’s Literacy Program toonenewcountry inAsia or Room to Read expanded its Literacy Between 2001eachyear and2008, Creating room to read—and more emphasis thatcombined frequent and withaphonicscomponent toitswork, adding areading andwritinginstruction and SriLanka, theorganization piloted beginning inIndia, andtheninNepal literacy (Room toRead 2012). By 2009, reading skillsonwhichtobuildtheir the code” andgainthefoundational help grade 1and2children “crack literacy instruction in ways that would language reading material)toenhancing donating books,andpublishinglocal- environments (i.e., building libraries, scope offrom activities creating literate Literacy Program began to expand its Room in 2008, Starting to Read’s reading materials. illustrators toproduce local-language andtrainto identify localauthors and theorganizationfrom theoutset, began such local-languagereading materials to Read’s countries lacked participating local languages.Becausemany of Room quality, age-appropriate books writtenin book donationsandbeganpublishing Read evolved from English-language reading materials,in2003, Room to finding tothelack of culturally relevant not reading for pleasure. Attributing this still unabletoread atgrade level andwere program demonstrated thatchildren were evaluations of itslibrary establishment assessments andearlycross-national other countries, however, itsinternal As Room toRead rapidly grew to funds tothecause. donors wanted tocontribute booksand requests for andmore support andmore as more andmore communities made Room toRead tookoff quickly, activities 7 8 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa of children incomparisonschools(Room to children improved atrates 12 timesthose by theendof grade 2. In Laos, grade 1 of grade more 1,and29 words perminute children incomparisonschoolsby theend could read 13more words perminute than evaluations inIndia found thatchildren before andafterthe intervention, for two years with literacy assessments effects on reading fluency. Tracking children by Room to Read, found similarlylarge 2015). Program evaluations, commissioned the otherinterventions evaluated (McEwan times greater than theaverage of impact effect size on young readers was nearly 10 to Read Room was notapart), toRead’s middle-income countries (of whichRoom educational interventions in low- to upper- Compared withanevaluation of 70 the past 15years hasbeenimpressive. Room toRead’s onliteracy impact during Impact andevidence of success the localcontext, andprint teaching detailed lessonplanscustomized to based guidelinesinliteracy instruction, training, andinstructionwithevidence- reading andwritingcurriculum,teacher works to supplement gaps in early grade partnership withministries of education, and-writing in instruction component, Specifically, theprogram’s reading- Literacy Program across ninecountries. was incorporated into Room toRead’s scale literacy intervention, whichby 2011 2010, andeventually toamuch-larger- pilotsinLaosto further andZambia in libraries. Thesuccess of thesepilots led local-language reading content inschool from literacy coacheswithaccessto toteacherstimely school-basedsupport own classrooms. students toread with success intheir routines, thatencourage andactivities librarians, topractice specificskills, and hasallowed teachers, aswell as for in-service professional workshops minimized theamount of timeneeded instruction. Thisapproach hasalso teachers over timefor reading skills way alarge to support number of been themost effective andefficient staff, deploying literacy coacheshas the proportion of children reading for Furthermore, betweenand 2012, 2009 from 3.3 to 8.9 books per student annually. books that children checked out increased and2013,2009 theaverage number of home orinschool.For example, between the timespent reading for enjoyment at checked out of Room to Read libraries and as measured by thenumber of books improvements inchildren’s reading habits, The program hasalsodemonstrated (Roomcounterparts toRead 2015a). two andahalftimesgreater thantheir Zambia, children progressed atarate in comparison schools. In Cambodia and gains thatwere twiceaslarge aschildren Lanka, children experienced two-year course of thetwo-year intervention: In Sri was sustainedthat thisimpact over the Read 2015a). Theevaluations alsoshowed support. teacher training andreading instruction enhancement through regular in-service coaches provide on-site classroom cards for print recognition. Literacy cards for phonicspractice orword and learningmaterials,such asletter 1 According to Room to Read’s government led toamemorandum of Read’s collaboration withtheVietnamese grades 1and2.Finally, in Vietnam, Room to national earlygrade reading curriculumfor served asthebasisfor the country’s new to Read’s literacy instructionmaterials Lao-language textbooks. In Nepal, Room piloted inplaceof theexisting national textbooks for grades 1 and 2 are being under way inLaos, where Room toRead’s classrooms. A similar process is currently were taught inearlygrade Cambodian pilot improved theway Khmerliteracy skills and 3afterasuccessful literacy instruction country’s literacy textbooks for grades 1,2, the Cambodiangovernment torewrite the Room toRead Cambodiawas invited by well asschoollibrary reforms. For example, in curricularand/or textbook reforms, as national-level policythrough itsengagement The organization hasalsoinfluenced all itslibraries (Room toRead 2015c). approaches (i.e., training tolibrarians) for promote more consistent implementation library components; andpackages to Program’s reading instructionandschool stronger coordination between theLiteracy and involvement in their children’s reading; help schoolsincrease parental support community engagement guidelines to including the introduction of family and a seriesof programmatic improvements, 2013 and 2015, Room toRead instituted disadvantages. As between aresult, of parents withlesseducationorother habits was notconsistent amongchildren reading, onchildren’s itsimpact reading to create anenvironment thatpromoted Room toRead’s schoollibraries helped (Room toRead 2015c). However, though about 31percent incomparison schools compared withanaverage increase of by about51 percent infour of thecountries, enjoyment athomeand inschoolincreased public serviceannouncements. channel asoneof the12 most powerful and was featured on YouTube’s Spotlight the In2 SABREAwards for digitalcontent Literacy Day in2014—was recognized by $400 andwas launchedonInternational that was produced inhousefor lessthan video—a publicserviceannouncement Finally, Children’s Prize Honorary Laureate. was recognized asthe2015 World Woodand potential for globalimpact. of theYear for herinnovative approaches 2014 asoneof 37 SocialEntrepreneurs recognized by theSchwab Foundation in Read’s cofounder andchiefexecutive, was advancement of literacy. Room Ganju, to and breadth initscommitment tothe exceptional andsustained depth an organization thathasdemonstrated with theRubenstein Prize, whichgoesto recognized by theLibrary of Congress world. In 2014, Room toRead was in thefield of literacy throughout the excellence andinspiringexperiences Prize for Literacy inrecognition of its was awarded theUNESCOConfucius world. For example, in2011, Room toRead to increasing literacy levels around the several accoladesfor itscontributions Finally, Room toRead hasalsoreceived by Jenny Alexander, May 5, 2015). in alower grade (Unmesh Brahme, interview school andfor reading instructiontobegin that mandatedlibrary timeinevery public the library, 2014 influencinglegislationin students’ timeinschooltoread andexplore leaders pushedpolicymakers toincrease Similarly,activities. inIndia, Room toRead’s variety of shared andindependent reading during whichstudents could engageina Province—not just Room toRead schools— periods” throughout all schools in Vinh Long understanding thatcreated weekly “reading Room to Read’s Not Do Read This

9 10 Room toRead SriLanka islaunchedaftertheDecember tsunami. 2005

Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa The Room toDream theorganization’s campaign islaunchedtosupport BfN expands itsscopeof work andbeginsitsGirls’ Education Program. The Reading andWriting Instruction component ispilotedinNepal Room toRead beginstoinvest inmonitoringandevaluating the In India andNepal, thefirst cohorts of girlsgraduate from Room to The Global Solutions Database iscreated TheGlobal incollaboration with goal of establishing 10,000 bilinguallibraries inthree years. and SriLanka. India’s pilotcontinues for asecondyear. Room toRead’s chapternetwork expands to Australia, Room toRead launchesitsfirst five-year strategic plan. Hong Kong, Japan, andtheMiddle East. Room toRead Cambodiaislaunched. Room toRead Tanzania islaunched. Room toRead Zambia islaunched. Room toRead Laos islaunched. Read’s Girls’ Education Program. Timeline of key events impact ofimpact itsprograms. Salesforce. 2000 2009 2005 2007 2002 2012 chapter strategy isformed. United Statestohelpbroaden Room toRead’sA fund-raising efforts. Volunteer chapters emerge inCanada,theUnited Kingdom, andthe produce children’s booksinlocallanguages. Room toRead launchesitsLocal-Language Publishingcomponent to and government partnerships. Room toRead India islaunched,withafocus onlocalorganization 2003 Room toRead Vietnam islaunched. as cofounder andchiefoperating officer. BfN officially becomes Roomto Read. Ganjujoinstheteam Erin 2001 language books. schools andestablishing libraries shelved withdonatedEnglish- (BfN), togetherwithDinesh Shrestha. BfNfocuses onbuilding to leave hisexecutive position atMicrosoft tostartBooks for Nepal John Wood visitsaschoolintheHimalayas inNepal andisinspired 1998 Room toRead launchesitsAccelerator technical assistance unit. Room toRead approves itsthird five-year strategic plan. Room toRead reaches amilestone of for support 10millionchildren. 2015 Room toread establishes its10,000th library. consolidates itsprogram areas toLiteracy and Girls’ Education. Room toRead launches itssecondfive-year strategic plan,which expand toLaos andZambia. Room toRead’s Reading andWriting Instruction component pilots 2010 readers. in India educators tosupport asthey teachstudents tobecome Room toRead pilotsitsReading andWriting Instruction component Room toRead Bangladeshislaunched. 2008 awareness effort viamedia exposure. Room toRead’s leadership beginstheorganization’s global programs inSouthAfrica. Room toRead expands launchingits totheAfricancontinent, 2006 improve learning.Indeed, Room to Read specific issues thatit must address to networks thecontext- andidentify to Read work within existing community partners. In turn,thishashelpedRoom establish strong relationships withlocal into itsprojectsandhasalsohelpeditto recognition hashelpeditbuildflexibility critical for thesuccess of itsprograms. This local adaptation and ownership would be Room toRead recognized early on that Decentralizing ownership whilemaintaining program quality goal thatwas achieved five years earlier 10millionchildrensupporting by 2020, a big-picture focus ontheeventual goalof One key to its accelerated growth was its by governments across Asia and Africa? been replicated, localized, andsustained How, then,hasRoom toRead’s model girls’ educationprograms. associated outcomesof itsliteracy and on thequalityof implementation andthe outcomes for children atscale, by focusing focus isachieving qualityeducational scholarships, theorganization’s current books, andfundingalarge number of girls’ creating hundreds of children’s story on establishing thousandsof libraries, Whereas earlyefforts focused substantially 2000, eachof whichhadadifferent focus. phases of changes after it was launched in the organization went through several needs of thepeoplewhomitserved. Indeed, the strength of itsprogramming andthe and asitsleadership learnedmore about Instead, itevolved itsplansasitdeveloped approach for scaling up ondayone. Room to Read did not have a finalized Key drivers behindscaling impact director, whointurnhired asolidlocal hiring astrong nationalcountry with started ownership was successful. Thisprocess to Read’s process of decentralizing Africa where itbegantooperate, Room For theadditionalcountries inAsia and of supporters, orapriorcommitment. personal anexisting connections, network countries where it already had established concentrated itsinitialexpansion inAsia in than planned. has meant scalingbackitsprograms. program components—which sometimes being honest abouthow best tostrengthen and refinement of program and activities, results are fed backinto thedevelopment ensuring thatoutcomesare measured and government andcommunity partners, investing for thelongtermwithits include decentralizing ownership, co- and reading habits.Thesestrategies fluency, reading comprehension, decoding, scaling upof itsliteracy impact—defined as strategies thathave ledtothesuccessful together helped it to develop a number of theory of changefor scalinguphave demonstrates, Room to Read’s vision and As theremainder of thiscasestudy use scalinguptodrive larger impact. viability of itsassumptions, andattimes Room toRead operationalize andtest the was supposed totake place. Thishelped the organization onliteracy anditsimpact a theoryof changeabouthow scalingup crucial element was earlyon identifying vision for scalingupits efforts, another 2 In additiontothisambitious 11 12 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa almost exclusively with governments made the conscious decision to work development, Room toRead’s leadership country. Early on in its organizational the longviewwheninvesting inanew was theorganization’s approach totaking decentralized approach to ownership Closely related to Room to Read’s Investing inacountry for thelongterm its scalingapproach. as theAccelerator, standardize tofurther launched itstechnicalassistance arm,known consolidation. Andin2015, Room to Read Room to Read began a process of program respond tothisgrowing complexity, in2014 and complex programs atfullscale. To eliminated, whichledtomore complicated added totheprograms, butothers were not increased, additionalcomponents were often the program model.As localengagement and adaptationwhilemaintaining fidelityto off between allowing for local ownership This approach toscalingupledatrade- for theirconstituents’ needs. inwaysactivities thatmadethemost sense then uptotherecipients toscaleupthe cases even trained theminmethods.It was and/or otherorganizations, andinsome with representatives from thegovernment shared thedetailsof theprogram model systems. Theoriginatingorganization then adoption and scaling up through larger organizational leaders inways thatinspired with government officials and/or other next step was toshare thisproof of concept the context inwhichithadbeentested. The success in away thatwas manageablefor had toachieve ademonstrable level of for the country context. That is, an activity team thatdeveloped a“proof of concept” Read organized its10country teams’ most 3 Specifically, Room to working toscaleupprograms. countries madeitanatural in partner and facilitator of masseducationinmany governments’ predominance asthefunder in atheoryof changethatpresumed that implementation. Thisdecisionwas rooted providers through direct program instead of privateeducational sector direct implementation model. able toreach through anexclusively in areas itwould nototherwisehave been organization assists even more children standardization, italsoensures thatthe Read withbalancingcustomization and time thatthisapproach assists Room to high qualitywhileexpanding. At thesame that itscore programming remained of to standardize itsapproach toensure andrefineidentify itsbest practices and and revision, theorganization was ableto By engaginginaprocess of reflection not have adirectpresence inacountry. programming andinareas where itdid intermsofits activities, bothdirect more disciplined approach to scaling up packages helpedRoom toRead follow a The development of theseimplementation approach. possible withRoom toRead’s worldwide thatitwas ascloselycertain alignedas administrative needs,whilealsomaking appropriate andresponsive tocountries’ ensured thatthecontent was culturally the materials into local languagesand partners. Country teamsrecontextualized teams touseandimplement withlocal and sustainable, as well as easy for country were designedtobecost-effective, scalable, worldwide implementation packages that effective content andtraining materialsinto of servingasatrusted educationalvoice instruction programs toitscurrent role and implementing reading-and-writing nascent phaseof buildinglibraries planning totransform itself from its It tookRoom toRead timeandstrategic for thecountry’s nationaleducationpolicy. an invitation toprovide recommendations the national government eventually led to focus on building strong relationships with textbooks. AndinZambia, Room toRead’s governments’ early grade literacy invited tohelprewrite therespective Cambodia andLaos, Room toRead was the nationaleducationalcurriculum.In committee tasked withoverhauling two yearsparticipation laterinanational government ledtoRoom toRead’s the organization’s partnerships with policymaking processes. In Bangladesh, innational-levelparticipation education partnerships leadingtoRoom toRead’s number of otherstories of government February 17, 2016). Andthere are a Heyman andJenny Perlman Robinson, (personal communication, Cory influence literacy educationnationwide an invaluable topositively opportunity it ultimatelyprovided Room toRead with committee related topolicyformation, and been invited tositonaministry steering international nonprofit organization had to Read, this was the first time thatan distributed toschools.According toRoom of reading materialsthatwere being prepare policy guidelines on the types of Education’s steering committeeto was inaMinistry invited toparticipate of thispartnership, in2011 Room toRead the country’s primaryschools.As aresult to improve literacy educationefforts in closely with theSriLankan government tsunami,2004 Room to Read worked For example, inSriLanka, afterthedeadly activities, providingactivities, inputandfeedback interest inlearningthedetailsof program opens thedoorfor strong community the longerterm.Thisco-investment model themselves sustain over projectactivities communities will be more inclined to be implemented ontimebutalsothat the likelihood thatnotonlywillprojects and community ownership, andincreases creates astronger senseof partnership set of expectations for projectoutcomes, “challenge generates grant,” adifferent and books). This upfront or commitment, (i.e., landuse, constructionmaterials, form of cash,labor, orin-kinddonations percent of totalcosts. Thiscanbeinthe to theoverall effort of approximately 15 Read requires acommunity contribution or schoolconstructionactivity, Room to For example, of aspart any new library invested inchildren’s literacy outcomes. Read andthelocalcommunity are both investment” model,whereby Room to Room toRead hasbeentofollow a“co- ownership. Anotherkey strategy for and expertise toensure greater community teams; orby leveraging localparticipation research, monitoring,andevaluation local program staff; includingin-country recruiting local country directors to lead communities aspartners—whether by the longtermalsomeansinvesting in Additionally, investing in a country for program mid-stride. roots withoutfear of discontinuing the building networks and establishing is thataneffective program requires years. Thephilosophy underlyingthis tolerant fundingthat willlast for three Read first raises aminimum of risk- to implement afullprogram, Room to new country, especiallyoneplanning these foundations, when investing ina for several national governments. To lay 13 14 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa annual revenue level between 1975 nonprofits million that surpassed the$50 Read becomeonlyone of 201 U.S.-based funding sources have helped Room to from corporations andfoundations, these an annual basis.Together, withdonations organization in more than 40 citieson that hosts events andfund-raises for the 14,000 volunteers around theworld together a chapter network of more than their own contributions, they have put the organization’s mission. In addition to are committedtoandpassionateabout Read’s budget comes from individuals who Approximately 60percent of Room to writing—itself alabor-intensive endeavor. focus onbilateral andmultilateral grant- grants, until recently Room toRead didnot partners, anditscommunity challenge network of corporate andfoundation year in-country startupfund,itscommitted raising model,itslow-overhead, three- up process. With its gala-style fund- the success of theorganization’s scaling- alsobeeninstrumental2008)—has for corporate (Knowledge@Wharton sector Read’s three founders emerged from the inspired by the fact that two of Room to to fund-raising—an approach perhaps businesslike“unapologetic,” approach and governments, Room toRead’s amongindividualcommunitiessupport been vitaltogenerating commitment and Although theco-investment modelhas Following abusinesslike approach to fund-raising community leaders losing theirjobs in staff in Tanzania have even reported the useof resources. Room toRead’s needs, andensuring accountability for design anditsalignment withcommunity about theefficacy ofthe overall program Room toRead was able to effectively among itsnetwork of individualdonors. books published)madethis process easier schoollibraries established,schools built, to Read’s (i.e., activities thenumber of The tangiblevisibilityof many of Room improvement ifitwas notachieving results. andortodriveimpact aprogram to usedatademonstrate aprogram’s Room toRead madeaconsciouseffort (Darwall andDorage 2010, 3).To thisend, allows you toachieve even more results” achieve results, you attract capital,which show results toattractcapital..If you results. According toWood, “You have to scalable, measurable, and sustainable Read’s businesslike approach callsfor Dorage 2010, 3).In particular, Room to in ahighlyefficient manner” (Darwall and skill setandtalent tocreate alotof growth not onlygoodpeople, butwhoalsohadthe was thatwe hadthesepeoplewhowere Read andJohn [Wood] andErin [Ganju] dreams. Whatwas uniqueaboutRoom to who don’t have theskillsettoachieve their are mismanagedby well-meaning people to Read board member, “Most nonprofits According toone financial support. Room success inrallying andsustaining global has beencentral toRoom toRead’s Like any successful business,transparency Read 2015b). substantial bilateral funding(Room to ithasdonesowithout and 2008—and 17, 2016). and Jenny Perlman Robinson, February (personal communication, CoryHeyman funds pledgedtoward buildingschools accountable enoughfor thecommunity’s becausetheyelections have notbeen 4

which issomethingsimilarorganizations contributions totheirfund-raising efforts, leverage volunteers tomake substantial basis from more than 4,000 projectsites. consistent monitoringdataonanannual platform toprocess cross-nationally global monitoringsystem andonline Solutions Database provides a robust with Salesforce, Room toRead’s Global improvement. Together, incollaboration and directlywithschoolsonprogram which implementers canwork immediately implementation andoutcomesinways in strategic information about program train school-level implementers tocollect contextualized for eachcountry. They Grade Reading Assessment andare also closely alignedwiththetoolsof theEarly to Read’s literacy outcomessothey are tools andassessments targeted for Room services. Thesestaff members develop country where it implements its direct monitoring, and evaluation officers in every consistently invested inlocalresearch, To thisday, theorganization has book-publishing activities. research of Room toRead’s library and funded external evaluations andinternal with otherfunders. Theensuing grant proofs of concept and acheive credibility programming inaway thatcouldprovide document thesuccesses of Room toRead would provide tostudy opportunity and research andevaluation. Theresources would be through agrant for large-scale Room to Read, the two agreed that it best couldsupport way thatGates Microsoft, Melinda aboutthe Gates, Wood andhisformer supervisor at In duringadiscussionbetween 2008, Leveraging data to refine theapproach Perlman Robinson, March 31,2016). communication, Tim Carlberg andJenny admire and seek to replicate (personal train localauthors andillustrators andto it launcheditspublication initiative to needed more booksinlocallanguages, Once theorganization recognized thatit and thentoothercountries inAsia. donations torural communities inNepal and moving great quantities of book cofounders beganestablishing libraries academic success, Room toRead’s and thatbooksare apredictorof later that low-income children lacked books withtheobservationStarting inNepal has made adjustments along the way. in itsapproach andimplementation and with eachevaluation, whatwas missing For example, Room toRead hasidentified, strategies asneeded. program content orimplementation system toexplain trends andmodify into thelarger country-level monitoring office. Indoing so, information is fed up districts, from country offices totheglobal by staff atalllevels, from schoolsto linked purposefully toprogram decisions strategy. data are That is, action-oriented program designandimplementation integral components of Room toRead’s monitoring, andevaluation have been hereWhat isimportant isthatresearch, planning sessions. point for annual program improvement country teams,becomingthestarting study, butare alsoshared regularly with asdiscussedearlierinthiscase report, are notonlyshared publiclyinanannual Detailed results from over indicators 30 15 16 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa program. For starters, thethree-year the establishment of eachnewcountry sustainability into itsprograms from Room toRead has attempted to build Taking sustainability into account from thestart targeted tootherprogram activities, and staff resources would bebetter that theorganization’s scarce financial Room toRead’s leadership determined duplicating whatwas already working, national reading approach. Rather than foundational reading skillsthrough the in thecountry were already achieving based onfindingsthatmany children component of itsLiteracy Program to Read closed theinstructional the expenditures. In Vietnam, Room benefits were notsufficient to justify 2009, onthegrounds thatitsrelative Room toRead tohalttheprogram in education withinschoolsettingsled programs thatfocused oncomputer poor outcomesfrom oneof itsearly evidence isnotpositive. For example, to learningfrom evidence, even if the demonstrated astrong commitment its programming, Room to Read has reevaluating how best tostrengthen By continuously and honestly Being willingto scale back writing were taught more effectively component to ensure that reading and to Read crafted its literacy instruction provided totheirschools.As such, Room children couldnotread thebooks that learninglevels were still low because libraries. Theorganization thenrealized languages todistribute toitsnetwork of publish qualitychildren’s booksinlocal leadership andnearly100percent local sustainability. Additionally, the local security toensure thecountry program’s funding requirement adds alayer of discouraged by them. negative experiences rather thanbe helped itlearnfrom andbuildonthese adapt basedonmistakes, however, have culture of learninganditsopennessto February 27,Read’s to 2015). Room interview by Jenny Perlman Robinson, instruction component (Matthew Jukes, as inVietnam withthereading-and-writing scaling upagain;and(2)poorprogram fit, slowed down andimproved qualitybefore so the organizationlow marginal impact, Cambodia, whichsawrapid expansion but but thewrong implementation, asin theright programat times,didnotwork: (1) explain why someRoom toRead programs, needs andcontext. In general, two reasons its intervention, dependingonthelocal country. But ithasscaled back orpaused Thus far, Room toRead has never lefta reading materials. environments and publishing quality such as growing itsnetwork of learning Read’s success from thestart. have thus beenkey factors inRoom to and ofreporting collecting that evidence up. Themonitoringof dataaswell asthe similar tothatof aSilicon Valley start- itsphilosophy,to assessandcorrect constantly cycling through anattempt Read hasbeena“learningorganization,” in grades 1and2.In thisway, Room to enjoyed these resources, the diversity of student writingbooks.Thoughteachers series of decodabletexts, and individual wheels, dicewithwords onthem,asmall includingflashcards,activities, literacy of “manipulatives” initsclassroom Previously, ithad usedalarge number in itsapproach toliteracy instruction. it went through acontroversial change its designfeatures. To illustrate, in2014, has madedifficultdecisions regarding start hasalsomeant thatRoom toRead Taking sustainability into account from the than itdidinitsfirst decade. years, ithashired more staff more rapidly it continued toscaleup. In thelast five it risked overstretching employees as low initsearlydays, however, meant that Continuing toaspire tokeep itsoverhead and Jenny Perlman, March 20, 2015). Calberg, interview by Jenny Alexander phases of growth andexpansion (Tim organizational culture throughout its that tomaintain andsustain itsstrong motivated individuals,”andithasused Read “grew through theefforts of highly DevelopmentGlobal Advisors, Room to According toTim Carlberg of Dalberg leaving littleroom for cutsorchanges. witha veryhas functioned leanteam, the trade-off here isthat Room to Read contributes toitsabilitygrow. However, institutional knowledge, whichalso continue promoting and cultivating has often hired from withinsoasto For itsU.S.-based team,theorganization potential for policyimpact. contextualization of its programs and the resources hasdramatically improved the placed onthelocalmakeup of itshuman and itsneeds.Indeed, theimportance Room toRead isrooted inthecommunity staff ineachcountry program ensure that 17, 2016). and Jenny Perlman Robinson, February (personal communication, Cory Heyman children develop stronger reading skills whichhadalready helpedmanywork, if Room toRead would continue its that theirstates would increase funding economies of scale. Officialscountered national programming toachieve greater states over time in order to consolidate its 2013 about phasing out its work in certain discussions withstate educationofficials in organization begantohave difficult to Read’s largest country program, the For example, inIndia, whichhasRoom and Jenny Perlman, February 17, 2016). (personal communication, Cory Heyman back have ledlocalpartners tostep up communities, theprospects of scaling given Room toRead’s popularityinsome mentioned above. But insomecases, as making toughcallstoscaleback, A focus onsustainability hasalsomeant absorbed by ministry budgetsover time. books down toapricepoint thatcouldbe for multiple years, helpingtobring the basis. Thesebooksalsocouldbeused was less costly toproduce onaper-child but included thesameengagingactivities student bookpergrade percountry that materials into asingle, nondisposable Room toRead consolidateditsclassroom was time-consuming.activities Therefore, and preparing andtransitioning between materials was too expensive to produce, that effective couldbeincreased activities of literacy andlibrary programming so train state officials in theimplementation 100new modelschoolsandthen support wherebyagreement, Room toRead would The result was afive-year cooperative for more transformative financial support. Agency for International Development and state officials petitionedthe U.S. 5 Collaboratively, Room toRead 17 18 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa focus more onincreasing thesustainability Meanwhile, Room toRead hasbegun to financial resources for further expansion. needs, andhassecured adequate place, has assessed the local community’s is assured thattheright environment isin it isthoughtful aboutthecountries itenters, down its expansion in order to ensure that since 2010, the organization has slowed literacy efforts across Asia and Africa, successful inleveraging datatoscaleup Although Room toRead hasbeenhighly adoption atthestate level. five-year period,withanultimategoal of to 1,000 schoolsduringtheproject’s goal of organizational sustainability. Read hassetitscourse toward thenext of itsinternal communication, Room to technology infrastructure, and expansion its staff members, improvements to its Through increased capacitybuildingfor redundant ormisaligned processes. the efficiency ofits staffand reducing as oneof itsnext challengesimproving it has identified its programmatic impact, system hasnotgrown atthesamepaceas Read 2014). Recognizing that its internal platform for (Room scalingupitsimpact to in anattempttobuildamore robust people, internal systems, andprocesses— of itsinternal organization—particularly its 19 20 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa Lessons learned • • • • • • funding have constituted nomore than4percent of Room to Read’s budget. and strategic route toaddress scale. However, todate, bilateral andmultilateral to Read workswithgovernments, whichcouldmake for anatural partnership As thepredominant funderandfacilitator of masseducationincountries, Room to andtrust of theorganization. that theircontributions were usedeffectively, spurringongreater commitment research donors findingstodemonstratecouldseetangibleevidence impact, for Room toRead’s expansion. Combinedwithitshonest andtransparent useof A in theprocess. creating areal senseof partnership, ownership, andincreased accountability committed toRoom toRead’s projectdesign,implementation, andoutcomes, A customization andstandardization. components, Room toRead hasbeenworking tostrike abalancebetween components were effective andtosustain asetof core, definingprogram fidelity totheoriginalprogram In modelwas more order difficult. toknow which to apoint where they becamedifficulttoscaleup. It alsomeant thatmaintaining nature of decentralization meant that local country offices couldbecustomized However, decentralized ownership alsocreated somechallenges,becausethe been tested. needs. As such, programs were manageablefor thecontext inwhichthey had by localorganizations andrefined torespond tolocalcommunities’ specific decentralized approachtoexpansion. Thisallowed itsprograms tobeadopted established orapriorcommitment enabledRoom network, toRead totake a Expanding into countries where leadership hadapersonalan connection, phase. Together, theseanchored theorganization’s work over time. up fromtheoutset andadetailed plan thatwas continuously refined ateach organizational development was acombinationof anambitious vision for scaling The key toaccelerated growth duringeachphaseof Room toRead’s co-investment modelhelpedtoensure thatcommunities andgovernments were business-like approach tofund-raising was key tobuildingfinancialsupport • • sustainability. needs. Theorganization’s next challengeistostrengthen itsorganizational country program offices ensured that programs were rooted inthe community’s of every dollarraised alittlefurther. Also, employing localstaff members in thatcouldstretch activities funding tobechanneledinto high-impact theimpact a layer of security, whilecommunity financialandlabordonationsallowed each newcountry program. Thethree-year fundingrequirement helpedadd Room toRead builtsustainability into its programs duringtheestablishment of organizational resources focused activities. onhigh-impact Room toRead’s willingness to scale backwhennecessaryhashelpedkeep its current five-year strategic plan. proposal toincrease itsengagement amongbilateral andmultilateral donors in relationships withprogram country governments, Room toRead hasincludeda Recognizing role theimportant thatthesedonors couldplayinbridging stronger 21 22 Room to Read: Scaling up literacy through localized solutions across Asia and Africa References Creating Room———. 2014. Creating to Read: AStory of Hope inthe Battle for Global Literacy. New York: Plume. World’s New York: Children. HarperCollins. Wood, John. 2007. Leaving Microsoft to ChangetheWorld: An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey to Educate the Paris: UNESCO. UNESCO. 2014. edu/~/media/Press/Books/2015/what-works-in-girls-edu/What-Works-in-Girls-Educationlowres.pdf?la=en. Evidence for theWorld’s Best Investment. Washington: Brookings Institution Press. http://www.brookings. B.,andRebeccaSperling, Gene Winthrop, withChristina Kwauk. 2015. Works What inGirls’ Education: School———. 2015c. Libraries Cross-National Evaluation. ———. 2015b. Scaling Global OurImpact: Strategic Plan 2015-2019. ———. 2015a. “Literacy Program Reading SkillsResults Summary.” org/AnnualReport/2014/. ———. 2014. Solving thePuzzle: Children’s Literacy andGirls’ Annual Report. http://www.roomtoread. Education, ———. 2013. Global Monitoring Report 2013. org/AnnualReport/2012/. Room to Read. 2012. Development. Lant.Pritchett, 2014. The Rebirth ofSchooling Education: Ain’t Learning. Washington: Center for Global of Randomized Experiments.” Review of Educational Research 85, no. 3:353–94. McEwan, Patrick J. 2015. “Improving Learning inPrimary Schoolsof Developing Countries: AMeta-Analysis children-around-the-world/. http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/room-to-reads-john-wood-bringing-the-power-of-education-to- around the World.” Interview with John Wood, School, University Wharton of Pennsylvania, December 23. Knowledge@Wharton. “Room 2008. toRead’s John Wood: BringingthePower of Education toChildren HistoryFINAL..pdf. http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic725401.files/Room%20to%20Read/Room%20toRead%20 Darwall, Christina, andKristin Doarge. 2010. From Bahundandato Bangladesh:The History of Room to Read. asercentre.org. ASER Centre. 2015. Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2014. Provisional, January 13. http://img. Teaching and Learning: Achieving Quality for All—EFA Global Monitoring Report 2013/14 . Laying a Foundation for Literate Communities. Annual Report. http://www.roomtoread.

5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Endnotes

revenue to56percent of itsannual budget. systems reform. The organization’s strategy for 2015 to2019 aimstoincrease bilateral andmultilateral with government partnersby pursuing thiskindof funding,especiallyvis-à-vis policyengagement and because Room toRead’s leaders have beguntorecognize for theopportunities growth incooperation bilateral andmultilateral donors maybecomemore prominent sources of fundingfor theorganization, which often prefer towork withrecipients of sizable bilateral andmultilateral funding.In thefuture, be interesting onRoom tonoteif this hashadanimpact toRead’s abilityto work withgovernments, Bilateral fundinghasnever exceeded 4percent of Room toRead’s totalrevenue. As itwould aresult, programming. ministries andotherorganizations toenablethemeffectively implement literacy andgirls’ education implementation and,inturn,replicateTheAccelerator itswork. trains staff members from government andmonitoring—allineffortstraining tomaximize materials,workshops, thequality periodicsupport, of assistance andshare Room toRead’s expertise andresources organizations withpartner by providing wider constituency, The Accelerator thereby model seeks to offer maximizing its impact. technical The Room toRead Accelerator was established todisseminatetheorganization’s knowledge toa Program. schools through itsLiteracy Program andby more supporting than66,000 girlsinitsGirls’ Education Room toRead’s goal,asof 2014, istoreach 15millionchildren by 2020—by with25,000 partnering for working withapproximately 5to10schools,withmonthly visitstotargeted grade 1and2teachers. or former teachers. They are recruited locally, are trained by Room toRead’s staff, andare responsible Ideally, literacy coachesare collegegraduates and/or graduates of teacher-training programs, teachers, doubled, to41words per minute. more student engagement with texts. One year later, fluency amonggrade 2 students hadmore than per minute. Room to Read responded by teachers supporting inincreasing topromote theiractivities the Literacy Program were reading atafluencylevel far below theminimum expected rate of 45 words According tointernal evaluations, results from India in2012 demonstrated thatstudents in participating 23 1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20036 202 797 6000 www.brookings.edu/universal-education

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