The Quality of the Champion School Program: External Evaluation of Management and Efficiency

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present main results of the external evaluation of the Champion School Program conducted by Cesgranrio Foundation in 2004 and 2005. The external evaluation focused on educational administration and efficiency of County Secretaries of Education and their respective schools. Analysis of results obtained by 42 evaluated County Secretaries of Education indicated a strong increase in almost the totality of the educational administration indicators. Few challenges remained and they require reformulation of educational policies and actions related to indicators like Plan of Careers, County Plan of Education, and County Articulation. In regard to educational efficiency, there are recurrent problems and therefore a path to be followed. Evaluation showed that efficiency indicators had a limited progress when they are compared to Champion School Program criteria. Indicators that were not attended represent failures in the statistical treatment of school data. The methodology of evaluation applied to the Program can be replicated whenever programs with similar profile need to be evaluated. The developed model fully took care of the Program, illuminating its qualities, as well as aspects related to the management and efficiency that still require special attention.