1 La Paz, Honduras McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Project Baseline Evaluation – La Paz Expansion April 2022 2 Baseline Report Program MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION Agreement Number FFE-522-2020-007-00-A Funding Year FISCAL YEAR 2022 Project Duration From: October 30th, 2020 To: September 30th, 2025 Implemented by CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) HONDURAS Jennifer Mallman Chief of Party, MGDIII Program Evaluation Authored by MYPE CONSULTORES Jose Roberto Banegas April 2022 DISCLAIMER: This publication was produced at the request of the United States Department of Agriculture. It was prepared by an independent third-party evaluation firm. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Agriculture or the United States Government. 3 CONTENT ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................. 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................ 7 I. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY....................................................................... 11 1.1 General purpose ......................................................................................... 11 1.2 Specific objetives ........................................................................................ 11 II. PROJECT SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 11 2.1 Intervention area............................................................................................. 12 2.2 Results framework.......................................................................................... 12 2.3 Key evaluation questions................................................................................ 16 2.4 Contingency plan............................................................................................ 17 III. EVALUATION DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ....................................................... 18 3.1 Scope.......................................................................................................... 18 3.2 Evaluation design........................................................................................ 18 3.3 Sampling methods ...................................................................................... 18 3.4 Data collection methods.............................................................................. 19 3.5 Data collection............................................................................................. 21 3.6 Data analysis methods................................................................................ 22 3.6.1 Qualitative data:.................................................................................... 22 3.6.2 Quantitative Data:................................................................................. 22 3.7 Evaluation limitations .................................................................................. 23 3.8 Ethical considerations ................................................................................. 23 IV. RESULTS .............................................................................................................. 24 4.1 Quantitative Results .................................................................................... 25 4.2 Qualitative Results ...................................................................................... 35 V. CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................... 43 VI. RECOMMENDATIONS........................................................................................... 45 VII. FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION POINTS ....................................... 47 VIII. ANNEXES........................................................................................................... 52 I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 87 B. Project context................................................................................................... 87 II. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY .......................................................... 90 B. Specific: ............................................................................................................. 90 III. SCOPE OF CONSULTANCY ............................................................................ 91 4 C. Audience and Key Stakeholders........................................................................ 91 C. Use of Findings.................................................................................................. 91 D. Dissemination Plan............................................................................................ 92 E. Methodology ...................................................................................................... 93 2E. Key Questions.................................................................................................... 95 3E. Data Collection Methods and Sources of Data .................................................. 95 Other data collection considerations: ....................................................................... 99 4E. Sampling Strategy............................................................................................ 100 5E. Ethical Standards............................................................................................. 102 6E. Data Analysis Procedures................................................................................ 102 IV. EXPECTED PRODUCTS ................................................................................ 103 V. COMMITMENTS.............................................................................................. 106 B. Consultant Commitments ................................................................................ 106 VI. SUPERVISION AND WORKPLACE................................................................ 107 VII. CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS AND EX RIENCE Professional Profile: ..... 107 Experience ............................................................................................................. 108 Competencies: ....................................................................................................... 108 VIII. CRITERIA FOR TECHNICAL PROPOSALS............................................. 108 IX. TIMELINE........................................................................................................ 109 XI. PRESENTATION OF OFFERS ....................................................................... 109 IX. BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................. 112 INDEX OF TABLES Table 1 Reference values by indicator ....................................................................... 7 Table 2 Contingency Plan ........................................................................................ 17 Table 3 Data sampling and collection methods implemented .................................. 19 Table 4 Qualitative sample size ............................................................................... 22 Table 5 Quantitative sample size ............................................................................. 23 Table 6 Baseline values ........................................................................................... 25 Table 7 Indicator 1 Percentage of Students Demonstrating They Can Read a Grade￾Level Text (Student/School Test)............................................................................. 25 Table 8 Indicator 2 Average student attendance rate (Classroom/school)............... 26 Table 9 Indicator 3 Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom)........................................... 30 Table 10 Factors that cause children to be distracted and not pay attention, according to the opinion of teachers......................................................................... 31 Table 11 Indicator 4 Percentage of decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month (custom).................................................................. 32 5 Table 12 Indicator 5 Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance ................................................................................................................ 34 INDEX OF FIGURES Illustration 1 The 19 Municipalities of La Paz ........................................................... 12 Ilustración 2 Results Framework .............................................................................. 14 Illustration 3 Structuring of focus groups .................................................................. 20 Illustration 4 Structuring interviews with keys informants ......................................... 21 Illustration 5 Reading level perception of second graders compared 2020 - 2021... 26 Illustration 6 Average student attendance according to teacher survey ................... 28 Illustration 7 Attendance and absences by academic year according to survey results ................................................................................................................................. 29 Illustration 8 Causes of absences by academic year, 2021...................................... 30 Illustration 9 Very attentive students in classes by academic cycle and by gender.. 31 Illustration 10 Absences reported due to illness (greater than 10 days)................... 33 Illustration 11 Illnesses reported as a cause of absences ........................................ 34 Illustration 12 Actions of teachers to integrate students into classes ....................... 37 INDEX OF ANNEXES Exhibit 1 Informent Consent.................................................................................... 52 Exhibit 2 Teacher survey......................................................................................... 54 Exhibit 3 Survey of school directors ........................................................................ 60 Exhibit 4 Interview for local actors........................................................................... 69 Exhibit 5 Interview municipal directors .................................................................... 72 Exhibit 6 Focus group with directors of educational network................................... 75 Exhibit 7 Focus group with the school feeding committee....................................... 78 Exhibit 8 Focus group with schools teachers .......................................................... 80 Exhibit 9 Focus group with parents ......................................................................... 83 Exhibit 10 Methodology to determine percentage of very attentive students........... 86 Exhibit 11 Terms of Reference Baseline ................................................................. 87 6 ACRONYMS CRS Catholic Relief Services MGD McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program USDA Department of Agriculture of the United States of America (MGD – FFE) McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program OE Strategic Objectives ASOMAINCUPACO Association for the Integrated Management of La Paz and Comayagua Basins EDC Education Development Center (USAID implementer) USAID United States Agency for Development COMDE Municipal Council for Educational Development WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene FAO United Nations Organization for Agriculture SEDUC Education secretary SEDIS Secretariat of Development and Social Inclusion SEAL Health Secretary SAG Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock LDC World Food Program MYPE CONSULTANTS Consulting for Micro and Small Businesses ADEC Water and Community Development Association CED School Council for the Development of the Educational Center APF Parent association SACE Educational Center Administration System COVID-19 Coronavirus 2019 WFP World Food Programme 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The strategic objective of the project is to improve literacy levels of school-age children in the 17 municipalities of the department of Intibucá and in the 19 municipalities of La Paz (Honduras). The first phase of the project lasted three years (2012-2015) and a second phase lasted five years (2016- March 2021). In October 2020, phase III (MGDIII) of the project was approved, which runs from November 2020 through September 2025. The project was originally budgeted for 25 million dollars. In October 2021, an additional 10 million dollars was approved to expand into the department of La Paz. Under this expansion, CRS will provide all preschool through grade 9 schools in La Paz with USDA-donated commodities to strengthen school feeding. CRS will also provide the new literacy materials and teacher training to primary schools that are not already covered under the USAID Reading Activity. This document is the baseline report for La Paz within the framework of the expansion of the MGDIII project. To collect quantitative and qualitative data, a contingency plan was presented and approved for the five indicators selected in this study because schools were not yet open due to COVID – 19 prevention policies. This research considered quantitative analysis through the implementation of two surveys conducted with teachers and school directors. Additionally, a qualitative analysis was conducted through focus groups and interviews. A total of 16 focus groups were held; eight focus groups were community group leadership (four with Parents Associations and four with School Feeding Committees). In addition, four focus groups were held with directors and four focus groups were conducted with teachers. The quantitative data collection stage began with the preparation of a survey in digital format. The survey was sent through a link on the Kobo Toolbox platform self-administered by teachers and directors. Surveys were given to 446 teachers and more than 420 school administrators and directors throughout the department of La Paz. In addition, 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with local actors involved in education. Using the information collected, the baseline values of the indicators were calculated and analyzed. The quantitative information was then triangulated with the qualitative information obtained in the focus groups and interviews. The baseline results La Paz and the value for Intibucá with a combined project baseline are shown below: Table 1 Reference values by indicator Indicator Reference Value MGD Expansion La Paz Intibucá Baseline Value Project Baseline Value Percent of Students Demonstrating They Can Read a Grade-Level Text (Student/School Test) 47% 43.55% Average student attendance rate (classroom/school) 68%1 68% 68% 1 Data from MGDII information system 8 Indicator Reference Value MGD Expansion La Paz Intibucá Baseline Value Project Baseline Value Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom) 70%2 70% 70% Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. (custom) 6.4% 8.95% 7.7% Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance 43,7573 51,177 94,934 In general, for the results Average rate of student attendance (classroom/school), teacher focus groups expressed that student attendance at schools declined as schools adapted to remote and virtual formats due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and this has resulted in school dropouts. In addition, it was identified that the role of parents and their commitment to participate in their children's education are key to guaranteeing regular school attendance. Regarding gender gaps, the data demonstrates that the relationship is almost equitable with 49% girls and 51% boys attending. Regarding the indicator “Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. (custom)”, the value of 6.4% was taken as reference. According to the results obtained through a survey (questions referring to the level of attentiveness of children in classes), male students show a lower level of attentiveness when compared with girls. With regards to the indicator Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month (custom); parents reported that illnesses were mostly diarrhea, pneumonia and COVID 19. According to one of the teacher focus groups, the strongest factors are the pandemic where parents' fear that their child will be exposed at schools and intestinal infections. Intestinal diseases are one of the reasons why children are absent during the week, cases occur frequently. For the indicator Number of students enrolled in schools that receive USDA assistance, in La Paz, a total of 43,757 students were enrolled in 2021; Intibucá has 51,177 students reaching a total of 94,934 students. In the department of La Paz, this baseline has shown the following conclusions: o The department of La Paz experiences challenges with families' access to safe drinking water, with few differences between urban and rural areas, in addition to challenges related to solid and liquid waste management that results in environmental and water pollution. o The school snack or meal in the department of La Paz has been maintained over the years due to contributions from the government, municipalities, the World Food Program and community participation through parent associations. However, there were several gaps in the food programing. Students in seventh through ninth grades were not included, the food distributions did not cover the entire school year, and during the pandemic the government only completed one food distribution. There is potential for implementation of a sustainable 2 Data from MGD Guatemala 3 Data from the SACE-SEDUC information system 9 school lunch program. In the municipalities of La Paz, there are very good agronomic conditions to produce vegetables and grains and many families are dedicated to farming, so there is a potential for them to become suppliers of fresh food to complement the school meal. Based on the above, the main recommendations are presented: Indicator 1: Percentage of students demonstrating they can read grade level text: Expand the sample of schools to make the value of this indicator more significant. Likewise, logistical support should be given to the secretary of education or organizations responsible for carrying out the reading evaluations. The project should promote community oversight and participation to ensure the data collection and test application quality, in order to have more precise and representative data for the department. Indicator 2: Average Student Attendance Rate: The baseline data for this indicator was established using data from Intibucá because of the pandemic context where virtual and hybrid classes predominate preventing data collection as prescribed for this indicator. Considering that education in the country and in the department of La Paz is now returning to a more normal situation, it is recommended that for follow-up and future evaluations, the original methodology be resumed, which establishes sampling of classrooms and observations to capture student attendance in the classroom and contrast it in comparison to the total enrollment number Indicator 3: Percentage of Students defined as very attentive: It was not possible to measure this indicator due to pandemic -related school closures. As schools in La Paz are transitioning back to full time in-person classes, the recommendation is to pilot and implement the data collection methodology and tools used in Guatemala and adjust the weights of the three tools. Indicator 4: Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month: Design a tool that simplifies the process for teachers to track cases where students are absent from class for more than 10 days due to illness and that also allows teachers to record when the illness is intestinal. This will enable the project to periodically monitor and have more precise data regarding absences. Indicator 5: Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance: Encourage school enrollment of all school-aged children to the extent possible throughout the communities through community organizations such as APF, CDE, COMDE, and community associations and in alliance with other local actors such as municipal governments. Establish a community campaign through local radio media, social networks and print material placed at strategic points with key messages encourating children and especially girls to attend school with greater emphasis on those students who are transitioning from one educational cycle to another (for example from 6th to 7th grade). 10 INTRODUCTION This baseline report contains information collected through participatory techniques, to establish he references values of five project indicators. The baseline was conducted with the purpose of conducting a critical and objective analysis, using quantitative and qualitative techniques, providing recommendations for the adequacy of the monitoring and evaluation plan of the project based on the data obtained and generating data for reporting on behalf of the people Catholic Relief Services serves (participants), stakeholders, and the program donor. In 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that around one million people in Honduras are in a serious situation of food insecurity. At least 963,000 people in Honduras are in severe phases of food insecurity (FAO, 2020). Food insecurity triggers cases of malnutrition. Malnutrition affects millions of children in Latin America, mostly during the most critical years of their development. 26% of the population in Honduras has malnutrition. Nutrition is related to growth and body composition, so the inadequate contribution of the energy requirement supplied through food can lead to malnutrition. Nutrition during the first years of life is of transcendental importance, since it can trigger other conditions, and even cause infant mortality. Therefore, child malnutrition can cause important consequences in different areas such as education and productivity.(Delcid, Delcid, Barcan, Leiva, & Barahona, 2017). Through its programs, CRS seeks to involve partners, governments, communities, and families to address child malnutrition scenarios through effective and low-cost actions. CRS combines actions from providing assistance for access to quality educational services, to strengthening nutrition measures and practices to generate behavioral and social change in the population to have a greater impact through its projects. The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (MGDIII) project, executed by Catholic Relief Services and financed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), will be implemented from 2022-2025 in La Paz. The third phase began in the department of Intibucá in 2020 and is now expanding into the department of La Paz where CRS will work in each of the 19 municipalities: Santiago de Puringla, Guajiquiro, Yarula, Santa Elena, Cabañas, Santa Ana, Opatoro, Aguanqueterique, San Juan, Mercedes de Oriente, San Antonio del Norte, Lauterique, La Paz, Cane, San Pedro de Tutule, Santa María, San José, Chinacla and Marcala. In this expansion, CRS will provide all preschool through grade 9 schools in La Paz with USDA￾donated commodities to strengthen school feeding. CRS will also provide new literacy materials and teacher training to primary schools that are not already included in the USAID Reading Activity. This study contains the analysis of the current situation and the baseline values of La Paz, as well as the baseline values of the entire project overall. 11 I. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY 1.1 General purpose Utilizing a participatory approach, the consultant will establish MGD phase III Baseline values through field work in the project intervention area. 1.2 Specific objetives • Conduct field data collection to determine MGD III baseline values for results indicators that apply in La Paz. • Conduct a critical and objective analysis, about the results of the baseline, utilizing quantitative and qualitative techniques. • Provide recommendations for the adaptation of the monitoring plan and project evaluation plan based on the data obtained. • Generate data for accountability on behalf of the people CRS serves (beneficiaries), stakeholders, and the program donor. II. PROJECT SUMMARY Since 2012, CRS, working in coordination with local organizations (partner organizations), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the Ministry of Social Development through its School Feeding Program, have been implementing the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (MGD – FFE) in Honduras. This program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provides donated food products for school meals, as well as all the financial resources necessary to implement each of the technical components of the project. The strategic objective of the project is to improve the literacy of school-age children in the 17 municipalities of the department of Intibucá and in the 19 municipalities of La Paz (Honduras). The first phase was from 2012-2015. The second phase was five years (2016- March 2021). In October 2020, phase III (MGDII) of the project was approved, which runs from November 2020 to September 2025, the project includes a budget of 25 million dollars. In October 2021, was additional funds were approved to expand the project to La Paz, Honduras. The MGD Program comprises four macro components: 1. Expand school feeding coverage, 2. Improve quality of education, 3. Increase student enrollment and retention, and 4. Improve nutrition, health and WASH. Component 1 is based on providing food assistance through basic ration and fresh ration for students; the basic ration includes red beans, yellow corn, vegetable oil, rice, and soy and corn cereal. Component 2 addresses the increased quality of instruction in schools by training teachers, school administrators and other actors who are involved in the educational quality of students. Additionally, this component includes the distribution of school supplies and learning materials for students. 12 Component 3 seeks to develop activities that motivate and encourage students to remain in school and reduce dropout rates. These activities include complementary activities such as reading clubs and social and emotional learning, among others. In addition, the provision of school meals is an incentive. Component 4 seeks to strengthen health and hygiene practices in students, working with school staff and communities to generate a change in social behavior. 2.1 Intervention area Illustration 1 The 19 Municipalities of La Paz Source: Own elaboration 2.2 Results framework Catholic Relief Services' (CRS) overarching Theory of Change for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (MGD III) is, if the school system is strengthened and provides quality literacy instruction, if children benefit from safe and nutritious meals, if schools provide a safe and stimulating learning 13 environment, if children and parents adopt better health and dietary practices, if parental and community involvement is strengthened in activities that lead to improved learning and nutrition, and if key stakeholders from the public, private and civil society sectors jointly develop evidence-based policies and good practices, then children in Intibucá and La Paz will attend school regularly and they will thrive and learn during MGD III and beyond. The project will seek two strategic objectives: SO1, Improved Literacy of School-Age Children, contributing to expected results 1.1 Improved Quality of Literacy Instruction, 1.2 Improved Attentiveness and 1.3 Improved Student Attendance; and SO2, Increased Use of Health and Dietary Practices, contributing to all of the expected results and including the additional result 2.8 Increased Knowledge of Improved Antenatal Care and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices. The critical assumptions of the project are the following: IR 1.1 Critical Assumptions: 1) Following the 2021 elections, the new Government of Honduras (GOH) education officials share MGD III goals and are willing to continue making systemic and resource allocation changes; 2) Challenges such as COVID-19 or political unrest do not result in prolonged school closures. IR 1.2 Critical Assumptions: 1) Despite the possible transition of key officials following the 2021 elections, the GOH will gradually assume financial responsibility for funding the dry and fresh rations in Intibucá as envisioned in the National School Feeding Law and outlined in its agreements with CRS; 2) The adverse impacts of climate variability will not outweigh project support to increase local producers’ resilience, thereby overwhelming their capacity to meet LRP demand. IR 1.3 Critical Assumptions: 1) Surges in violence in target communities do not impede attendance; and 2) COVID-19, political unrest or other challenges do not result in school closures or supply chain disruptions. SO2 Critical Assumptions: 1) Newly appointed key GOH authorities are willing to coordinate with MGD III to deliver trainings; and 2) newly elected local governments are willing to allocate financial resources to support school infrastructure projects. 14 Ilustración 2 Results Framework Activity 7. Supplemental Learning Activities Peer to peer tutoring and reading clubs, Savings and Lending Groups, Social and Emotional Learning in the classroom Activity 8. Building /Rehabilitation: School Facilities Kitchens, hygiene and WASH structures Results Framework #1 SO1: Improved Literacy of School-Age Children 1.1: Improved Quality of Literacy Instruction 1.2: Improved Attentiveness 1.3: Improved Student Attendance 1.1.1: More Consistent Teacher Attendance 1.1.2: Better Access to School Supplies & Materials 1.1.3: Improved Literacy Instructional Materials 1.1.4: Increased Skills and Knowledge of Teachers 1.1.5: Increased Skills and Knowledge of School Administrators 1.2.1: Reduced Short-Term Hunger 1.3.1: Increased Economic and Cultural Incentives (or Decreased Disincentives) 1.3.2: Reduced Health￾Related Absences 1.3.5: Increased Community Understanding of Benefits of Education 1.3.3: Improved School Infrastructure 1.3.4: Increased Student Enrollment Activity 1. Distribution: School Supplies and Materials for Students Distribution of decodable and levelled readers Activity 1. Distribution: School Supplies and Materials for Students Distribution of new USAID developed reading curriculum materials Activity 2. Training: Teachers Train teachers on new USAID curricula and on pre-literacy and school readiness for preschool Activity 3. Training: School administrators Train school administrators on new USAID curricula and pre￾literacy and school readiness for preschool Activity 9. Enrollment campaigns PTA outreach and peer mentoring for hard to reach students SO2: Increased Use of Health and Dietary Practices (see next page for activities) 1.4: Foundational Results 1.4.1: Increased Capacity of Government Institutions 1.4.2: Improved Policy and Regulatory Framework 1.4.3: Increased Government Support 1.4.4: Increased Engagement of Local Organizations and Community Groups Activity 14. Capacity Building: Local, regional, national level Support SEDUC on new USAID curricula and pre-literacy/preschool; strengthened teacher supervision and coaching units Support SEDIS in phased handover for school feeding and strengthened local procurement component in PNAE Activities: Activity 14. Capacity Building: Local, regional, national level Activity 15. Facilitate Linkages and Agreements With private sector, NGOs, and municipal government for school feeding, education, WASH programs; deworming, vitamins; school infrastructure Activity 14. Capacity Building: Local, regional, national level Advance the development and operationalization of child-friendly laws and policies related to school feeding, education and school WASH. Activities: Activity 14. Capacity Building: Local, regional, national level Partner with community structures, and parent volunteer networks to sustain procedures and resources that support the implementation of the PNAE Activity 6: Take Home Rations for school meals and preschool volunteers; Activity 9. Enrollment campaigns Activity 7. Supplemental Learning Activities Activity 15. Facilitate Linkages and Agreements With private sector to support school feeding, education, and WASH 1.2.1.1., 1.3.1.1. Increased Access to Food (School Feeding) Activities: Activity 4. Provide School Meals Activity 5. Develop partnerships with farmers groups to supply food to schools LEGEND Sub-Intermediate Result not addressed 15 Activity 11. Training: Food preparation and storage practices Increase community capacity for preparation and storage of USDA commodities and locally sourced food Activity 10. Training: Good health and nutrition practices Social and behavioral change strategy for students, school staff, and communities on nutrition practices Activity 8. Building /Rehabilitation: School Facilities Kitchens, hygiene and WASH structures Result s Framework # 2 2.7: Foundational Results SO2: Increased Use of Healt h and Diet ary Pract ices 2.1: Improved Knowledge of Health & Hygiene Practices 2.5: Increased Access to Preventative Health Interventions 2.2: Increased Knowledge of Safe Food Prep. & Storage Practices 2.3: Increased Knowledge of Nutrition 2.4: Increased Access to Clean Water and Sanitation Services 2.8: Increased Knowledge of Improved Antenatal Care and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices 2.7.1: Increased Capacity of Government Institutions 2.7.2: Improved Policy and Regulatory Framework 2.7.3: Increased Government Support 2.7.4: Increased Engagement of Local Organizations and Community Groups Activity 14. Capacity Building: Local, regional, national level Partner with community structures, and parent volunteer networks to sustain procedures and resources that support the implementation of the national school feeding program Activity 6. Take Home Rations for health volunteers Activity 10. Training: Good health and nutrition practices Social and behavioral change strategy for students, school staff, and communities on health and hygiene practices Activity 14. Capacity Building: Local, regional, national level Support GOH and local actors to conduct training in good health, hygiene and nutrition practices in preschools and basic education schools Activity 15. Facilitate Linkages and Agreements With private sector, NGOs, and municipal government for school feeding, education, WASH programs; deworming, vitamins; school infrastructure Activity 14. Capacity Building: Local, regional, national level Advance the development and operationalization of child-friendly laws and policies related to school feeding, education and school WASH Activities: Activity 6. Take Home Rations Activity 10. Training: Good health and nutrition practices Social and behavioral change strategy for Maternal Child Health through Care Groups Activity 12. Distribution: De￾worming medication, vitamins and minerals In coordination with SESAL, distribute to, children 0-5, and pregnant or lactating women 2.6: Increased Access to Requisite Food Prep. & Storage Tools and Equipment Activity 13. Distribution: School furniture and equipment Provision of food prep and storage equipment through the PTA LEGEND Custom Intermediate Result 16 2.3 Key evaluation questions The study utilized a series of research questions determined by the CRS implementation team as a reference in addition to the specific evaluation objectives to design the observables and search categories for this study. In previous evaluations conducted by the MGD program in its first two phases and in most evaluation approaches, the key research questions are structured based on universal evaluation criteria such as sustainability, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and coherence of the project; this study is no exception. The questions4 are as follows: Sustainability • How do changes in government capacities, policies, procedures and priorities facilitate (or impede) sustainability? • To what extent could the private sector be actively involved in the different interventions at the project level? • Are there realistic funding scenarios for Honduran institutions to assume responsibility for school feeding in La Paz? How does the education support community plan and implement literacy promotion activities in the absence of external resources? (Literacy) Relevance • What is the participation of local agents in improving food preparation standards and school infrastructure? (MCN) • Do the stakeholders in the project (students, teachers, parents' associations, parents and local officials) consider that the project could meet their needs? Why or why not? Effectiveness • To what extent could the project interventions be effective in achieving the output and outcome objectives? Efficiency • What activities or programs has the community worked on to achieve results that contribute to education in the department of La Paz, specifically in the areas of school feeding, reading/literacy and WASH in schools? What were the critical factors that made it possible to provide these contributions? Impact • Could the project contribute to improving the literacy of school-age children? Why or why not? 4 The key questions required by the terms of reference and must be answered with the results of the baseline 17 • Could the project contribute to improving the health and eating practices of school-age children? Why or why not? Coherence • To what extent could project interventions be complementary to initiatives implemented by other Catholic Relief Services projects in La Paz? (internal consistency) • To what extent could project interventions support educational initiatives implemented by other organizations in La Paz? (external consistency) • To what extent does the project design fit the goals, objectives and strategies of SEDUC and SEDIS? 2.4 Contingency plan Given that school closures do not allow for measuring literacy, attendance and absences, attentiveness, and enrollment indicators due to the obvious challenges of distance education, USDA has approved a contingency plan (See contingency plan in annex) allowing the CRS team to measure the five standard indicators using alternative approaches. They are listed in the following table: Table 2 Contingency Plan Results Framework Statement Indicator Measurement/Considerations Baseline Goal SO1: Improved literacy of school-age children Percent of Students Demonstrating They Can Read a Grade￾Level Text (Student/School Test) Not measured 74% IR 1.3 Improved Student Attendance Average student attendance rate (classroom/school) Through the teacher survey, registered attendance and absences were taken, the absences were subtracted, and the percentage was calculated. Not measured 68%5 83% IR 1.2 Improved Care Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (customized) The reference value of MGD Guatemala was taken and suggestions were made regarding actions to improve student attention. Not measured 70%6 85% Sub-IR 1.3.2: Reduction of absences related to health Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. (customized) A teacher survey was conducted to gather data regarding absences attributed to illness in the last month. Considering the above, the percentage was calculated based on the frequency 6.4% 4% 5 Data from MGDII information system 6 Data from MGD Guatemala 18 Results Framework Statement Indicator Measurement/Considerations Baseline Goal Sub-IR 1.3.4: Increase in student enrollment Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance Information from national administration system (SACE) will be used 43,7577 100% III. EVALUATION DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 3.1 Scope The baseline study was carried out in the Republic of Honduras in the 19 municipalities that form the department of La Paz. The study includes the different actors of change identified in the Results Framework of the MGDIII project as study subjects, as well as the development axes listed in the theory of change. Data on school conditions has been collected in all 19 municipalities, working within the conditions of most schools being closed, CRS's implementation of a strict health protocol around Covid-19, and the context of the USDA's approval of a contingency plan for the measurement of overall indicators. This includes data collected from principals, teachers, and local and municipal authorities. 3.2 Evaluation design The collection of information for the baseline study included the use of participatory techniques such as focus groups, semi-structured interviews and surveys. To design data collection instruments, Catholic Relief Services and MYPE CONSULTORES, worked together to create them and thus obtain valuable information to respond to the base values of the indicators. A performance evaluation was conducted using a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative). The evaluation design will allow the consortium to determine whether statistically significant changes have occurred in results￾level indicators by measuring and comparing baseline values to those same indicator values at midterm and final evaluations. A random sample survey was conducted. Additionally, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, direct observations and other participative methods were used to provide qualitative data. In addition, a thorough review of project reports was incorporated into the analysis process. 3.3 Sampling methods Qualitative data: For the data collection, a convenience sampling was carried out, which from the total population was chosen for the sample through a selection process according to access to schools. 7 Data from the SACE-SEDUC information system 19 Table 3 Data sampling and collection methods implemented Indicators of interest (Individual/ Cluster) Cluster * Individual Total sample size TDR Baseline Considerations Baseline Modifications MGD1 Percent of students demonstrating they can read grade level text (Student test/ school) 78 * 30 2,340 Students Not measured MGD 2 Average student attendance rate (Classroom/school) 110 * 4 440 classrooms Conducted a survey to calculate this indicator Not Measured 08 - Percent of students in the classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom) 110 * 4 440 classrooms The indicator table data is maintained. Not measured 36 - Percent decrease of students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. (custom) 110 * 4 440 classrooms Conducted a survey to calculate this indicator Measured MGDIII 9 Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance 100% School Data collected from the SEDUC Information System. Measured 3.4 Data collection methods Review of secondary information: Secondary data contributed to an understanding of the departmental and national context in aspects of education, nutrition, school feeding, and climate, among others. Special care was taken with secondary data, to ensure it came from reliable sources. In this case, the support of SEDUC, SEDIS, official documents of SESAL and SAG were referenced. To obtain primary baseline information, qualitative methods including focus groups and semi-structured interviews were done and surveys were applied to teachers and school directors to obtain variables or quantitative data. 20 Illustration 3 Structuring of focus groups A total of 16 focus groups were conducted. At least eight focus groups were held with community group leaders. These focus groups were represented by the 4 areas (cardinal zones) into which the department of La Paz is divided. In the case of the focus groups with teachers, teachers who teach first (grades 1-3) and second (grades 4-6) cycles were included regardless of whether they are urban centers, rural centers, single￾teacher schools, face-to-face, semi-face-to-face or virtual modality. In the focus groups with community leaders, topics included capacity building (food handling, nutritional content), distribution opportunity, needs for organizational strengthening, access to foods with high nutritional value and challenges for sustainability. During focus groups with school administrators, the challenges for distribution and delivery on time, parental involvement and needs for organizational strengthening and challenges for sustainability were discussed. Group Numbers Key Actors Qualitative Method Focus Groups Community Groups (Leaders) 4 Parent Associations 4 Feeding Commitees Shcool Administrators 4 Groups of directors of educational networks 4 Teacher groups 21 Illustration 4 Structuring interviews with keys informants Semi-structured interviews with key actors: 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with different representatives at the local level of organizations that are involved in education. These representatives belong to the secretary of education at the departmental level, projects present in the area, the school feeding program and representative staff from USDA in the country. The question guides for the interviews and focus groups were guided by the six evaluation criteria (sustainability, relevance, coherency, effectiveness, efficiency and impact) with the purpose of obtaining a broad perspective of the current situation and future perspectives. 3.5 Data collection The data collection stage began with formulating and validating the surveys. The validation of the collection instruments consisted of piloting the instruments with both focus groups (teachers, directors of educational networks, fathers and mothers of families, school lunch committees) and interviews (mayors, directors, other local actors). Additionally, informed consent was designed, because informed consent, creates-trust between participants and implementers. Number of interview/actor Key Actors Qualitative Method Interviews Education sector representatives 1 SEDUC 1 Departamental dirctor of education 10 Municipal diectors Project Implementor 1 Program and proyect 2 CRS Representatives Local government 10 Mayors 22 Once the pilot was complete, work was carried out on the survey, requiring the application of a virtual survey through the Kobo Toolbox program (using LINK), which facilitated the collection of quantitative data with the purpose of reducing errors by incorporating data validation conditions in the questionnaires. Consistency and effectiveness checks were done to verify the success of the information collection through the digital tool and to minimize errors in the survey data. Consistency was checked by downloading and reviewing the data entered at the end of each day. Staff checked data for consistency, unrealistic data, and compliance with validation standards. Data collection effectiveness was tested by randomly selecting a small number of respondents and ensuring that these respondents actually responded to the forms. A total of 446 teachers and more than 420 school directors in the department of La Paz participated. 3.6 Data analysis methods 3.6.1 Qualitative data: When collecting information from key informants through focus groups and interviews, the information was categorization to clarify the findings. The most repetitive or most mentioned characteristics by the key informants were identified and described to better understand perceptions around the importance of education and the impact of school feeding. Table 4 Qualitative sample size Group Size surveyed School Food Committee 4 GF Directors of Educational Networks 4 GF Teachers 4 GF Parents association 4 GF Municipal Directors of Education 10E Mayors 10E SEDUC 1E Representation Projects 3E Departmental Directorate of Education 1E 3.6.2 Quantitative Data: For quantitative data analysis, the project's Intibucá baseline report was reviewed. This analysis will be used to generate points of emphasis to understand challenges, barriers, and successes. An Excel program was used to create a database based on the information gathered from the surveys. The next step was to create graphs to measure the behavior of the variables. The sample was provided by the project, which used a two-stage cluster sampling approach to select respondents for the quantitative surveys. In the first stage, schools were randomly selected as clusters, and in the second stage, teachers and principals were randomly selected. Sample sizes were calculated using the equations for pooled 23 continuous, unpooled binary, and pooled binary outcomes, respectively, in McConnell and Vera-Hernández (2015), using the standard 80% power and 5% significance level. The present investigation managed to carry out a survey of more than 446 teachers and more than 420 directors of schools. Table 5 Quantitative sample size Group Total size of surveyed sample % of men Surveyed % of women Surveyed Teachers 446 26% 74% Directors 420 22% 78% 3.7 Evaluation limitations • During the study, the 2022 school year had not yet started and the class format was still undecided (remote, hybrid, face-to-face). Schools have been closed since March of 2020 and only offered remote classes for nearly two years. Therefore, teachers had limited data and information when participating in focus groups, surveys, etc. • This research was conducted while COVID-19 restrictions were in place potentially generating uncertainty or health concerns among participants while participating in the study (focus groups, interviews, etc.). • The recent appointment of educational authorities at different levels (municipal and departmental) presented limitations since many were in transition periods and new to their positions. They may not have a broad understanding yet of the context and their role even though the majority have worked for many years in the education system. • Enrollment data was taken from the official Ministry of Education data system known as SACE (Sistema de Administración de Centros Educativos). However, Ministry data is not always regularly updated. Indicators for attentiveness and attendance were based on data from Intibucá because school closures did not allow for in-person data collection. Furthermore, the data point for attentiveness in Intibucá was taken from Guatemala as a reference point since it was not possible to measure attentiveness in the classroom while schools were closed and students only had remote learning. 3.8 Ethical considerations The baseline study was conducted following ethical considerations, especially during data collection with men and women. Ethical considerations as guided by CRS were taken into account including safeguarding policies and COVID-19 precautions. The following specific steps were taken: • The informed consent form was read with the interviewees in the Focus Groups, ensuring participants understood that their participation in the process is voluntary. 24 • Teachers, Directors, Community Members were consulted through focus groups and ethical standards such as respect and inclusion were maintained during the collection of information. All the activities carried out were previously coordinated with the educational authorities. • For the purposes of the analysis, the confidentiality of all data was maintained, and all personal indicators were eliminated. IV. RESULTS This evaluation collected data for five indicators. The analysis of the information is presented in three categories in order to further understand of the results: 1. Quantitative results This section analyzes the baseline value with respect to the information obtained in the teacher surveys and surveys conducted with school directors and other Ministry of Education authorities. Additionally, the survey findings were triangulated with qualitative information from the focus groups and interviews. 2. Qualitative results This section briefly described the role of key actors: • The role of the School Feeding/Meal Committees: • The role of the Parents Associations: • The role of teachers • The role of the Educational Networks Directors The information was categorized according to the following areas: • Capacity building • Consumption patterns and food satisfaction • Parent contributions to school feeding • Previous experience in local food distribution • Health and school dropout • Gender 3. Results according to evaluation criteria In this section, the information collected in the director surveys was used and triangulated with the qualitative information from the focus groups and interviews. • Sustainability • Relevance • Effectiveness • Efficiency • Impact • Coherence 25 The baseline results of the project for the expansion in the department of La Paz are detailed in the following table: Table 6 Baseline values Indicator Baseline value Percent of Students Demonstrating They Can Read a Grade-Level Text (Student/School Test) Average student attendance rate (classroom/school) 68% Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom) 73% Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. (custom) 6.4% Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance 43,757 4.1 Quantitative Results This indicator measures the percentage of children who read and who understand the meaning of grade-level text. The reading and reading comprehension assessment focused on second grade students and is a department level sample large enough to be considered representative based on the number of students. This evaluation is conducted annually across Honduras as stipulated in the national policy. Table 7 Indicator 1 Percentage of Students Demonstrating They Can Read a Grade￾Level Text (Student/School Test) Indicator Baseline Year 1 Objective Year 2 Objective Year 3 Objective project life MGD 1 Percent of Students Demonstrating They Can Read a Grade￾Level Text (Student/School Test) 58% 61% 64% 67% Designed to align with the national standards and curriculum, the areas evaluated in this study are: • Reading comprehension: understanding of general ideas, main and secondary ideas of a text, including the interpretation of visual images. • Vocabulary: recognition, understanding and interpretation of unknown words in a text. • Types of text: reading and use of different textual etiologies for different purposes. Results are measured on a scale of 0 to 4 points (0 is no response, 1 unsatisfactory, 2 needs improvement, 3 satisfactory and 4 advanced). Points 3 and 4 were considered to quantify MGD indicator 1 for the sample (2nd grade). 26 According to the 2017 Academic Performance Report, the departmental average of the percentage of students by performance level in Spanish (reading) in La Paz shows that less than half (48.5%) of the students from 1st to 9th grade are in the Satisfactory levels. or Advanced (Ministry of Education). The sample (2nd grade) in 2017 shows 57% of students with satisfactory and advanced levels in the Report. Relevant information Furthermore, according to the 2017 Academic Performance Report, the percentage of students who were in the Unsatisfactory and Must Improve categories had decreased over the previous 10 years (2007-2017), showing that the academic performance in reading had been improving prior to the pandemic. Teacher Perceptions Illustration 5 Reading level perception of second graders compared 2020 - 2021 Source: self-made Teacher surveys showed that 45% of teachers perceived that students had improved in their reading levels compared to last year. Teacher surveys also show that the one positive factor of the pandemic has been greater parent participation in education, supporting learning. Table 8 Indicator 2 Average student attendance rate (Classroom/school) Indicator Baseline Year 1 Objective Year 2 Objective Year 3 Objective project life MGD 2 Average student attendance rate (classroom/school) 68% 72% 75% 75% 83% 18% 45% 33% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% It´s the same as past years. It has improved in comparison to last year. It has worsened in comparison to last year. 27 The reference data from Intibucá is maintained (68%) as the baseline value for La Paz. According to teacher survey the average attendance rate is 73.4% of students. This number was based on how teachers measured attendance during school closures (connecting virtually or handing in required assignments, for example) and not all teachers responded. Therefore, it will not be used as the official baseline data. Disaggregating the survey results, the gender relationship is almost equitable, with an attendance of 5,848 (49%) of girls and 6,009 (51%) of boys. These data coincide with the national trend since there is a 49/51 ratio of girls and boys enrolled, respectively, with boys enrolling more than girls. The aforementioned trend occurs in pre-basic and basic education (National Educational Information System Honduras, 2017). This indicator measures attendance rates of school-age students in formal or non￾formal schools or non-school settings for the purpose of acquiring basic academic education, knowledge or skills. The process used to record absences is through daily attendance lists, in addition, weekly assignments or non-delivery by students are also taken into account as evidence of class attendance. Since, by not working on their homework, it represents a connotation of disinterest or negative predisposition to classes. And teachers provide attendance monitoring through phone calls and WhatsApp messages. 28 Illustration 6 Average student attendance according to teacher survey Source: self-made Attendance by gender by municipality shows a trend of greater attendance by boys than by girls. According to(Hawthorn, 2015), gender inequality varies by area; rural areas show greater gender inequality due to greater conditions of poverty and low economic income. In the study by Espino 2015, the results revealed that boys drop out of school due to lack of economic resources and girls drop out of school because of family situations, establishing relationships and pregnancies, generally in higher grades. It is important to consider this trend even in the early years. When analyzing desertion and the gender gap, girls tend to have higher absenteeism whereas boys have better attendance. 47% 48% 51% 44% 50% 51% 53% 42% 53% 46% 51% 52% 47% 55% 51% 53% 43% 53% 52% 49% 56% 50% 49% 47% 58% 47% 54% 49% 48% 53% 45% 49% 47% 57% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Aguanqueterique Cabañas Chinacla Guajiquiro La Paz Lauterique Marcala Mercedes de Oriente Opatoro San Antonio del Norte San José San Pedro de Tutule Santa Ana Santa Elena Santa Maria Santiago de Puringla Yarula Girls Boys 29 Illustration 7 Attendance and absences by academic year according to survey results Source: self-made In figure 8, the absence by students is quite high, between 18% and 23%. Although the percentage of absences is high, during the focus groups, it was identified that teachers carry out various actions to address this problem. One of the extremely important actions is the complete willingness of teachers to support students through visits to provide follow-up and personalized accompaniment according to the academic needs of the students. 76.61% 81.65% 78.08% 78.11% 23.39% 18.35% 21.92% 21.89% 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% Prebasic First Cycle Second Cycle Third cycle Attendance Absence 30 Illustration 8 Causes of absences by academic year, 2021 Source: teacher surveys Table 9 Indicator 3 Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom) Indicator Baseline Year 1 Objective Year 2 Objective Year 3 Objective project life Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom) 70% 75% 78% 82% 85% This outcome indicator estimates the percentage of students with adequate attention span in the classroom. One of the assumptions of the theory of change is that a successful school feeding program will increase students' attention resulting in better learning. Although the level of attention is subjective, the project has developed a series of tools for teachers and students to self-report their perceptions and structured observation guides to use during the evaluation. The variables that are considered to determine the percentage of very attentive students in class are the following: students' self-perception of their level of attention, the average number of students who are attentive in class according to the teachers' perceptions, and the perception of a third-party evaluator conducting classroom observations. Regarding self-perception by students, the percentage that is considered to pay attention all the time or most of the time is taken and multiplied by 34%. With the teachers' perception, they are asked how many students remain active in classes and the average number of students is multiplied by 33%. The observer's identifies 41% 38% 39% 32% 11% 15% 9% 27% 49% 48% 52% 41% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Prebasic First Cycle Second Cycle Third Cycle Absence due to other reasons Absence due tu external migration Absence due to internal migration 31 students that they are attentive in the classroom and then that number is multiplied by 33%. To obtain the percentage of attentive students the three values are added. This indicator was not measured because of school closures. Therefore, the estimated figure for Honduras is 70% taken from the MGD Guatemala results since the context is similar. However, when collecting information through the teacher survey, the students from the department of La Paz, more than 70% of the analyzed sample, are perceived as being very attentive in class. The level of attention is perceived by the teacher, through the active participation of the students, questions and answers during class hours, and other forms of student participation. According to the results obtained in the surveys, male students show a lower level of attention compared to females. Illustration 9 Very attentive students in classes by academic cycle and by gender Source: self-made Most students are very attentive in class, however, 27% of students who do not pay attention in class is caused by various factors (Table 10). Table 10 Factors that cause children to be distracted and not pay attention, according to the opinion of teachers Factor Percentage Hunger due to lack of school snack or meal 53% Hyperactivity of children 30% Many distractions in their houses, toys, TV, food, music. 30% Classmates who bother them 27% Anxiety or stress in the child. 22% Many distractions from the school environment, noise, children playing in the yard, noise, music. 22% sadness or sleep 21% Other distractors such as cell phones, tablets, PC. 14% stomach disease 10% 71% 72% 78% 69% 87% 76% 75% 68% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Prebasic First Cycle Second Cycle Third Cycle Boys Girls 32 Factor Percentage Fear 8% Overcrowding in the classroom excess of students in the classroom. 8% Other factors. 7% Non-stomach diseases. 6% None 4% There are various reasons why students are not attentive during class, however, the strongest reason is hunger due to lack of school snacks or meal. A total of 53% of teachers agree that the school meal is the most influential factor that determines the attention of children in class. Other important causes should not be ruled out, such as external factors in schools for example hyperactivity, noise, or the lack of attention given by the parents regarding education and schooling of their children. Similarly, games or jokes between classmates generating bullying scenarios is a strong cause of lack of attention in class. It is necessary to target actions aimed at increasing the number of attentive children in classes, addressing the most influential factors that cause inattention. The two most influential factors are hunger and hyperactivity in children. Hyperactivity can be managed through comprehensive pedagogical processes that allow students to express their skills through learning in the classroom, but with this it is necessary to strengthen teachers and implement appropriate teaching practices. In addition, it is important to include the provision of a school meal program to motivate students and parents so that students attend classes in conjunction with hygiene and health practices to reduce the incidence of diseases caused by lack of hygiene. Table 11 Indicator 4 Percentage of decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month (custom) Indicator Baseline Year 1 Objective Year 2 Objective Year 3 Objective project life Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. (custom) 6.4% 8.95% 6% 6% 4% This indicator will measure the percent decrease in students who miss 10 days or more due to illness. The cases are very sporadic, the boys and girls attend regularly, but if there have been cases where the children are absent for more than 10 days, this may be due to illnesses. 33 According to the data collected through the teacher survey, student absence is 6.4%, while the table demonstrates that these levels of absence are between 5% in preschool and up to 11% in second cycle (grades 4-6) (Figure 10). The behavior of the graph shows that at higher grades there is a higher incidence of absences, which could be related to independence and detachment from parents as children get older. Intestinal diseases are one of the causes why children are absent during the week, cases like these occur very frequently, perhaps up to twice a week. This is due to various factors such as personal hygiene or home conditions, according to a teacher focus group. Illustration 10 Absences reported due to illness (greater than 10 days) Source: teacher survey 5% 6% 11% 9% 7.2% 6% 8% 6% 5% 5.6% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% Prebasic First Cycle Second Cycle Third Cycle General Boys Girls 34 Illustration 11 Illnesses reported as a cause of absences Source: teacher survey Teachers made it known that the diseases that students frequently report as reason for school absences are diarrhea, pneumonia and COVID 19. Therefore, it is suggested to improve the sanitary conditions of schools to reduce the incidence of intestinal diseases associated with lack of hygiene. While it is true that when students leave school, they may be exposed to illnesses if they do not practice good personal hygiene at home, schools are the ideal space to strengthen hygiene and health practices and thus create healthy habits that can be replicated at home and with family. Table 12 Indicator 5 Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance Indicator Baseline Year 1 Objective Year 2 Objective Year 3 Objective project life Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance 43,757 44,481 44,659 44,838 96,632 This is an outcome indicator that measures the number of school-age students or students formally enrolled in school or equivalent non-school settings for the purpose of acquiring basic academic knowledge or skills. This number may include students enrolled in distance radio and/or television alternative education programs. 32% 27% 1% 32% 19% 28% 22% 1% 24% 16% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Diarrhea Pneumonia Hepatitis Covid 19 Other Boys Girls 35 Only students enrolled in schools that directly benefit from USDA assistance should be counted in this indicator. For this indicator, USDA assistance to schools includes the provision of school feeding commodities and/or the rehabilitation of school infrastructure. The current baseline value is 43,757, of which 21,471 are female and 22,286 are male. 4.2 Qualitative Results Qualitative research was conducted to follow up on the quantitative data findings to better understand the data and numbers. This was done through the following activities: • Focus groups with members of the School Feeding Committee (CAE), parent associations, school network directors, and teachers • Interviews with key informants: school directors, municipal mayors and other relevant stakeholders of interest to the project. Relevant Aspects by Indicator Indicator 1 Percentage of Students Demonstrating They Can Read Grade-Level Text (Student/School Test) According to teacher focus groups parents have been involved in monitoring and supervision of their children’s schoolwork during remote learning. This is because while students do not attend in-person classes on a regular basis, parents must assume a greater commitment to their children's learning. In the case of students who need reinforcement in reading comprehension to improve the results of academic achievement tests, the teachers consider it important to look at the following: • Teacher training • Strengthen fathers and mothers through the school for parents • Provide teaching resources for use by teachers • Support the feeding of children through the school snack • Strengthen the health of boys and girls. • Create reading opportunities at school and at home. Indicator 2 Average student attendance rate (Classroom/school) In general, according to the focus group with teachers, student attendance at schools was reduced due to virtual or hybrid learning because of the COVID 19 pandemic, and this has resulted in an increase in school dropout. Parents do not have internet access or a mobile device to receive assignments. However, teachers have stated that with blended or hybrid learning, the expectation is greater with students required to be in school certain days and therefore student attendance has been increasing. In addition, it was identified that the role of parents and their commitment in accompanying their children's education are key to guaranteeing school attendance. “There have always been dropouts, they are the same families that are not responsible, 36 those parents who have not been responsible when there were face-to-face classes. Now that classes are mostly taught virtually rather than face-to-face, they have lost even more commitment, those have been the dropouts in schools,” said a participant in the teacher focus group. One aspect to consider for attendance is gender. The importance of equal access to education for boys and girls is fundamental, since they are the first years of education, therefore, the level of access to primary education will open or close opportunities that will contribute to their development as professionals and will contribute to reducing gender gaps. Therefore, schools must maintain gender equality in their enrollment to guarantee access to girls and boys. In the focus group with school directors they stressed that class attendance has been reduced and the strongest factor is the lack of in-person classes. It was also mentioned that the children who withdrew from the schools in 2020 continued not to attend (withdrew) during 2021, since the parents did not want to enroll because they expressed that the children did not learn using the handouts. However, they have been working on constant communication between the teacher and the parents to motivate them using strategies that interest both the parent and the child to encourage consisten school attendance. According to school principals, the lack of school meals, parents’ migration, and family disintegration are factors that affect student attendance. In the same way, in the border area, parents enroll their children in El Salvador, since there is an option for attending schools only on weekends. Parents choose this option so that their children help with housework the rest of the week. In the communities throughout La Paz, internal and external migration are situations that occur in many families. A phenomenon that occurs in the communities of La Paz is internal migration when there is a coffee harvest, since entire families move to be able to work and take their children with them in search of income opportunities. During the focus groups, the parents of families identified that there are other factors, and for the most part the cause is poverty. Families, not having sufficient economic income, only manage to feed themselves. In addition to this, children also must work to have sufficient income for food. This situation puts education in the background of prioritization, causing school absence and dropout. It is important to mention that added to the daily situations of poverty is the pandemic. The pandemic makes income-generating opportunities more difficult for poor families, and this has been a trigger for the decline in current school attendance compared to years prior to the pandemic. Most teachers make phone calls or send messages to parents or guardians and also conduct home visits. Home visits are made with the goal of supporting students and fostering the teacher-parent-student alliance with the purpose of guaranteeing student learning. In addition, they hold virtual meetings with both the parent and the student to share and discuss academic strengths and weaknesses. During the pandemic, teachers record absences based on homework, that is, if a student does not hand-in an 37 assignment, it is taken as if the student did not attend classes, according to the teacher survey. Additionally, daily written attendance records are kept through calls and messages by cell phone as follow-up, as shown in illustration 12. Illustration 12 Actions of teachers to integrate students into classes Source: self-made Indicator 3 Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom) The school directors, through the focus groups, expressed that family disintegration is a strong factor of distraction and causes a lack of attention. Students are getting married at a young age due parents’ lack of interest in sending their children to school for development and learning. Child labor or exploitation is another factor since many parents send their children to work in the fields, especially during coffee season, even though they are not of age. In a focus group with parents, they stated that the malnourished child does not focus on his/her classes because s/he does not have the necessary energy to be able to carry out all the school activities, but when school meals are provided, the students are more interested in classes. Indicator 4 Percentage of decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month (custom) According to the focus groups with parents: • There are schools where there are no basic facilities or infrastructure including a lack of drinking water or basic bathroom facilities. In other 78% 56% 27% 23% 21% 0% 4% 0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Calls or messages to parents or tutors. At home visits. Report to shcool comitee (CED, APF, Grade directive) Class assistance incentives. Apply flexibility plan or lost class recovery I don´t do anything Other actions None 38 communities there are water projects, but their progress and operation are unknown. • There are hygiene problems in the schools since water does come in daily and when the children use the bathrooms often there is no water to flush or clean out the latrine. There is also an accumulation of garbage. Additionally, in many communities there is no water, nor are there latrines. These factors contribute to unhealthy and unhygienic environments and consequently, can become a focal point for diseases. According to the focus groups with teachers: • The strongest factor is the pandemic. Parents fear that their children will be infected in school. Another strong factor is intestinal infections. Diarrhea is one of the main causes for student absence. Cases occur frequently, perhaps up to twice a week. This is due to several factors including the child's personal hygiene or household hygiene. This coincides with statements from school directors who expressed that the incidence of diarrhea causes prolonged absences from school. Summary of qualitative results by category Key actors in the school feeding network: The role of the School Feeding Committee: Supervises and coordinates the reception, storage and preparation of the school snack or meal, ensuring that hygiene measures are followed. The Committee ensures the quality of the food and informs the partners/actors involved of the state of the food reserve to avoid shortages. They are also responsible for monitoring compliance by parents in preparing the school snack or meal as planned. The role of the Parents Association: Support in the planning and activities of the school meal or snack and take on the role of food providers in conjunction with other organizations when there are shortages. Parents are involved in identifying the needs of schools to contribute to improving the educational quality. Parents are involved in supervision and joint work between parents and teachers to strengthen the education of students. The role of local government: Municipal governments support schools with infrastructure, materials, and equipment to improve school conditions. The mayors’ offices have educational management committees (COMDE), which are responsible for monitoring and supporting schools. 39 Capacity building In the focus groups, the actors expressed that the School Feeding Committees have received training in the preparation of healthy and nutritious food, however, they are not provided with the material and supplies to implement what they learned. Another key aspect is the lack of attention and knowledge building around health and hygiene. The importance lies in the fact that children can get sick by consuming contaminated food. Additionally, there is little infrastructure related to school feeding. Many schools lack a storage warehouse as well as space to properly prepare food with adequate hygiene. Consumption patterns and food satisfaction Food insecurity in students’ homes is common according to the information collected in the focus groups. In some cases, because of parents' low income, students are fed, but they do not have access to a balanced meal. There are high instances of poverty where many families must priorities using limited resources to purchase food, rather than school supplies, uniforms and other necessities to attend school. This can then lead to school dropout and desertion. It is important to offer nutritious and balanced meals in schools to improve children’s health. It is also important to train parents in nutrition. This work can be done in coordination with community health centers. The school snack offered to students is based on the provision of beans, rice, oil and corn flour. This is distributed and delivered by the School Feeding Committees and the support of the teachers. It should be noted that in the year prior to the pandemic, vegetables were offered as a fresh portion to expand the menu offered to students. This has caused greater motivation on the part of the students since they can access a complete and nutritious plate of food. Parent Contribution to School Feeding Parents are extremely important actors as their attitudes and approaches to school and learning influence and motivate their children. Parents can also address and support school needs. It is worth mentioning that the level of parental involvement varies for each child. Parents are responsible for receiving, preparing and serving the school snack. However, there are cases in which parents are not involved and do not participate in the process or comply with the planned menu and standards. Previous experience in local food distribution Despite some shortcomings, previous experiences in the provision of school meals have been successful thanks to the efforts of several actors. The products provided consisted of only corn, rice and beans however, parents have contributed complementary foods to diversify recipes, according to the parent focus group. It is important to recognize that 40 the success of this type of school feeding project rests largely on the commitment of parents. In the interviews a participant mentioned that a negative aspect is the delay in the implementation of the school snack, since it is likely to begin in May, three months after the beginning of the school year. The participant also mentions the exclusion of non￾government schools as an additional negative aspect. Health and school dropout The principal health issue causing school dropout is the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are also instances of desertion due to other types of diseases unrelated to the pandemic. Therefore, districts are working to promote deworming and vaccination campaigns for students, and they also plan to focus on cleaning campaigns and hygiene standards. The most common diseases are flu due to the weather and intestinal diseases such as diarrhea. Another important aspect is the lack of drinking water in some schools, which limits hygienic practices resulting in potential illness. However, health personnel do provide guidance to parents and snack committees regarding proper food preparation based on hygiene and health practices. In schools that lack drinking water, children are asked to bring a water bottle so that they can wash their hands before eating. Gender The woman/mother is typically more involved than the father due to the nature of the activities. However, there are fathers who are involved in the transportation of food for its distribution. Women tended to participate more actively in the baseline survey and focus groups. It is important to mention that it is necessary to work on fathers’ participation in education. It is known that fathers have the role of working to bring income to their families, however, it is necessary to consider a gender perspective to make progress in reducing gender gaps. 4.3 RESULTS ACCORDING TO THE EVALUATION CRITERIA Sustainability: Interviews with the municipal education directors show that they do not have a budget. However, they do small activities such as distribute donations of school supplies and materials. The municipal directors identify migration as one of the key factors that impacts education. Therefore, they recommend establishing actions that promote and encourage school attendance such as scholarships, school bags and school snacks. The municipal directorates offer support in terms of food delivery supervision, but do not offer support beyond human resources. The possibility of establishing alliances with agricultural producers to ensure the provision of horticultural food and milk was also mentioned. 41 The school directors stated that one of the greatest supports that the schools have are the Parents Associations (APFs), as they are responsible for equitable food ration distributions, and they are the experts in their communities and understand processes used in ration delivery and distribution. Leftover food is delivered to the children who need it most. Reports are delivered transparently and in real time so as not to delay the delivery of food. Relevance: Local actors play a strategic role in the provision of school meals. They have been jointly involved in improving the conditions for the provision of school meals. The process is as follows: the district informs the school director that the food ration is ready, and the respective delivery is made. The quantities depend on the number of students. Additionally, parents do everything possible to provide a variety of foods, and therefore parents frequently contribute from their income to purchase a variety of foods to guarantee a diverse menu. Effectiveness At the moment, the project does not have data available in the field to measure the effectiveness of the interventions as project activities have not started in the department. Some indicators for this study were not measured because of the pandemic and data from previous phases of MGD have been used as a reference. The schools remain closed and for this study only surveys of the indicators were conducted, and this information will serve as complementary data to analyze activity progress in the mid￾term and final evaluation. Efficiency The articulation between local actors is important to successfully implement a school feeding program. Collaboration between the School Meal Committees, Parents' Associations, school network leaders, and the local government is key to the success of any school feeding program. Impact School snack or meal projects can influence positive changes in learning and lower rates of absences, failure and school dropouts. Therefore, strong communication between parents and teachers is key to ensure these projects can be carried out in schools benefit children enormously and resulting in improved learning outcomes. School meal programs can contribute to improved health and hygiene and reduce poor nutrition in school-aged children and their families. Since poverty is prevalent in many homes, children lack food and are malnourished contributing to absenteeism and low academic achievement. School feeding is an important and highly necessary component in schools. 42 Coherence Programs and projects similar objectives of improving health and education and that could be strategic allies for a school meal program are WFP, USAID, World Vision, ADEC, Catrachos Coffee, Readers to Leaders and rural banks. These programs and NGOs could provide additional resources to strengthen McGovern-Dole components and activities. 43 V. CONCLUSIONS a. In the department of La Paz, factors related to confinement due to the pandemic, methods used for teaching and the lack of books and reading material, as well as the lack of monthly follow-up tests, are some of the factors that contribute to the result. b. The attendance rate of school-age students in formal or non-formal schools in the department of La Paz is 68% (data from MGDIII Intibucá). However, teacher surveys show 73.4% with greater boys showing slightly better attendance at 51% than girls at 49%. This is consistent with the national trend. Factors related to the pandemic such as the modality of virtual and blended classes implemented by schools, as well as household factors such as poverty limiting families’ abilities to purchase school materials, low Internet connectivity and limited access to communication or technology devices such as cell phone or computers have resulted in absenteeism during remote classes. Other factors that contribute are a lack of electricity in the community, internal migration where families participate in the coffee harvest during select months, and irregular external migration. c. This report will use the data point of 70% of students in La Paz defined as ´´very attentive´´ as a point of reference to determine attentiveness. This number was taken from the McGovern-Dole program in Guatemala, which has a similar context and was agreed upon in the contingency plan. It was not possible to measure this indicator due to pandemic -related school closures. Data show that girls show more attention in class than their peers in the early years however this difference is reversed for the second and third cycle of basic education, where boys’ attention exceeds that of girls. Hunger and poor nutrition are among the main factors that affect the children’s concentration in class. d. The department of La Paz has challenges regarding families' access to safe drinking water with few differences in urban and rural areas, as well as challenges related to the management of solid and liquid waste which often pollutes the environment and water. This causes stomach diseases derived from the intake of untreated water that is not suitable for human consumption. According to the study data, 6.4% of school￾age boys and girls are absent from school for more than 10 days due to health problems related to stomach illnesses. Many of the schools do not have safe drinking water, sinks, or soap and many of the bathrooms are in poor condition so children do not have a sanitary learning environment. The school meal or snack in the department of La Paz has been maintained over the years due to contributions from the government, municipalities, the World Food Program and community participation from parents associations. However, there were several gaps in the food programing. Students in seventh through ninth grades have not been included, the food distributions did not cover the entire school year, and during the pandemic the government only completed one food distribution throughout the two years. There is potential for the implementation and 44 sustainability of the project due to the willingness to work and cooperate of existing organizations such as the School Snack Committees, APF, CED, COMDE, School Networks, Educational Authorities and the willingness of local governments to support and contribute. e. According focus group participants in the department of La Paz, the food supply and storage chain is inefficient. There is insufficient coverage and a lack of equipment in school kitchens such as gas or electric stoves or alternatives such as eco stoves as well as a lack of basic kitchen utensils. The school feeding committees have limited capacities in matters related to food preparation, nutritional balance, hygiene and food safety. School infrastructure such as kitchens, warehouses and children's dining spaces need repairs or total construction since many schools do not have any structures. 45 VI. RECOMMENDATIONS Indicator 1: Percent of Students Demonstrating They Can Read Grade-Level Text (Student/School Test) 1. We recommend considering expanding the sample of schools to make the value of this indicator more significant. Likewise, logistical support should be given to the Ministry of Education or organizations responsible for administering the tests and the project should promote community oversight and participation to ensure the quality application in order to have more precise and representative data for the department. 2. The project must promote and encourage reading at an early age in the schools of the department of La Paz, creating learning opportunities (reading spaces, murals, supporting libraries of the fixed and mobile educational networks) in addition to promote the application of monthly or quarterly reading tests so that boys and girls adapt to the evaluation methodology and are better prepared for the end-of-year tests. Indicator 2: Average student attendance rate (classroom/school) 3. The baseline data for this indicator was established using data from Intibucá because of the pandemic context where virtual and hybrid classes predominate preventing data collection as prescribed for this indicator. Considering that education in the country and in the department of La Paz is now returning to a more normal situation, it is recommended that for follow-up and future evaluations, the original methodology be resumed, which establishes sampling of classrooms and observations to capture student attendance in the classroom and contrast it in comparison to the total enrollment number. Indicator 3: Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria. 4. The value of the baseline for La Paz corresponds to the estimated value for Honduras based on the data for Guatemala. This value was adopted for the indicator because the virtual and semi-face-to-face class modality implemented in the schools of La Paz did not allow for validation of the methodology within the context of Honduras and to calculate the value of the indicator according to its definition. However, given that the schools in La Paz are transitioning back to full time in￾person classes, the recommendation is to pilot and implement the methodology and tools used in Guatemala. This methodology uses three tools to calculate a value., The first is student self-perception which has a specific weight of (0.34), the second is a query made to teachers with a specific weight of (0. 33) and the third is classroom observation carried out by an external observer with a weight of (0.33). Thus, the value of the indicator is obtained by adding the percentage achieved in each test by its specific weight. 46 Indicator value =%of students (according to self-perception) * 0.34 + average % of students (according to teachers) * 0.33 + % of students (according to observation) * 0. 33 In order to make the calculation formula more efficient, a recommendation is to change the weight of 0.34 of the student self-perception report to 0.20, changing the specific weight of 0.33 from the teacher perception report to 0.30 and assigning it to the external observation test 0.5. This is because students could self-proclaim as very attentive since they do not perceive the fact that they are distracted and not paying attention in class. Teachers may try to be positively evaluated and thus could be inclined to over report that their students pay attention in their class, therefore external observation is less subjective. Hence the calculation formula would become: Indicator value= % of students (according to self-perception) * 0.20 + average % of students (according to teachers) * 0.30 + % of students (according to observation) * 0.50 Indicator 4: Percentage decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. In many cases, teachers do record student absences however they do not always note the reason or cause of the absence. Similarly, many of them do not keep track of the number of days of absence according to the cause. Given this finding, it is important to design a tool facilitating the process for teachers to keep track of cases where the student is absent from class for more than 10 days due to illness and that also allows them to note when it is an intestinal-related illness. This will allow for more precise data to measure the student absence indicator. Indicator 5: Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance In order to increase enrollment in schools that receive USDA assistance, it is recommended that the project be promoted in the communities through the community organizations APF, CDE, COMDE, community associations and in alliance with other local actors such as municipal governments so that all school-aged children are enrolled in schools, to the extent possible. It is also recommended to establish a community campaign through local radio media, social networks and printed material placed at strategic points with key messages encouraging children and especially girls to attend school. These messages can children and youth who are transitioning from one educational cycle to another (for example from 6th to 7th grades). 47 VII. FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION POINTS No. Findings Recommendations Action points Time Frame Indicator 1: Percentage of Students Demonstrating They Can Read Grade-Level Text (Student/School Test) 1 Expand the sample of schools to make the value of this indicator more significant. Likewise, support should be given to the secretary of education or organizations responsible for carrying out the reading tests, in logistical aspects, and to promote community oversight and participation to ensure the quality of the collection of the tests, to have a more precise and representative data for the department. The project must promote and encourage reading at an early age through the school meal in the schools of the department of La Paz, creating learning opportunities (reading spaces, murals, supporting libraries of the fixed and a) Promote and support the application of annual tests to second grade students. b) Encourage student government members in each school to create murals or signs with promoting early grade reading. c) Encourage each school to have a physical space for reading and encourage teachers to dedicate at least 30 minutes to reading one day per week with greater emphasis in first and second grade. d) Implement GANE remedial materials developed under EDC to give students showing need additional reading practice This will be evaluated annually. Q4 FY2022 – Q4 FY2023 – Q4 FY2024 48 No. Findings Recommendations Action points Time Frame mobile educational networks) in addition to promote the application of monthly or quarterly reading tests so that boys and girls adapt to the evaluation methodology and are better prepared for the end-of-year tests. Indicator 2: Average student attendance rate (classroom/school) 2 In general, according to the focus group with teachers, student attendance at schools has been reduced due to the adaptation of virtual or remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic and this has resulted in school dropouts. Student absences are quite high, between 18% and 23%. In future evaluations, it is recommended that the original methodology to measure the indicator be used, which establishes a sampling of classrooms and observation and counting the attendance of boys and girls in the classroom and contrasting it in comparison with the total enrollment number, calculating the percentage of attendance per classroom and then estimate the value of the indicator that is defined by the average or rate of a) Create a tool or instrument for that allows teachers to capture class attendance data related to the indicator. b) Share the tool with education authorities and teachers for use The tool will be developed in August 2022. The tool will be shared in Q1 of 2023 with teachers and education authorities. 49 No. Findings Recommendations Action points Time Frame attendance in all the classrooms studied. Indicator 3: Percentage of students in classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria. 3 Lack of attention in school can be caused by a specific factor such as hunger due to lack of school meals. 53% of teachers agree that the school snack or meal is the most influential factor that determines the attention of children in class. Implement the methodology and tools used in Guatemala which allows estimating a value for the indicator based on three tools, the first is a diagnosis made to the students' self￾perception, the second is a consultation made to the teachers and the third is the classroom observation made by outside observer. In order to make the calculation formula more efficient, we recommend changing the spatial weight of 0.34 in the students' self￾perception test to 0.20. change the specific weight of 0.33 of the teacher perception test to 0.30 and assign 0.5 to the external observation test. Indicator value = % of students (according to self￾perception) * 0.20 + a) Train the technical team to use the tool and measure this indicator periodically in order to pilot the tool within the context of Honduras. Results can be shared with teachers so they can adjust teaching styles and methods with the goal of maintaining students’ attention throughout the school day. b) Carry out a pilot survey to verify the tools and the method of calculation. c) Share the methodology with directors and teachers and schedule dates to conduct the observations. The tool will be adapted to the Honduran context in Q1 of FY2023 The tool will be piloted in February of FY2023, in the new school year. The tool will be applied during the mid-term evaluation in Intibuca and La Paz. 50 No. Findings Recommendations Action points Time Frame average % of students (according to teachers) * 0.30 + % of students (according to observation) * 0. 50 Indicator 4: Percent decrease in students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. 4 Intestinal diseases are one of the causes for children to be absent during the week, cases like these occur very frequently, perhaps up to twice a week. This is due to several factors, such as: the child's personal hygiene or hygiene of the home, according to a focus group of teachers. In the schools there are hygiene problems since the water does not arrive daily and when the children go to relieve themselves there is no water to flush or clean. In many cases, teachers do record student absences, but they do not note the reason or cause of the absence. Furthermore, Design a tool that makes it easier for the teacher to keep track of cases where the student is absent from classes for more than 10 days due to illness and that also allows them to record when the illness is of stomach origin. This will enable the project to periodically monitor and have more precise data to measure the indicator of student absence in the classrooms in the schools of La Paz. a) Create a tool or instrument for that allows teachers to capture class attendance data related to absence of more than 10 days due to illness and note the cause or type of illness. b) Share the tool with education authorities and teachers for use c) Periodically monitor that the information is being recorded in order to have data that supports decision-making to achieve the goal. The tool will be created in Q1 of FY2023 before the end of the school year. The tool will be piloted and used at the beginning of the 2023 school year in February. Results will be reported in the midterm and final evaluations. 51 No. Findings Recommendations Action points Time Frame many teachers do not keep track of the numbers of days of absence by Reason for the absence. Indicator 5: Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance 5 Attendance has reduced compared to previous years, one of the most important factors being the issue of COVID, lack of connectivity (due to the economic factor). Promote in the communities through the community organizations APF, CDE, COMDE, Patronatos and in alliance with other local actors such as municipal governments that all children of school age are enrolled in schools, to the extent possible. establish a community campaign through local radio media, social networks and printed material placed at strategic points with key messages that promote that children and particularly girls should attend school with greater emphasis on those boys and girls who transit from an educational cycle to another (6th to 7th grades) a) Use ICT communication technology to share messages that reinforce student enrollment. b) With the help of community organizations, place messages in public centers in the communities so that people know the importance of their children being enrolled and attending school. This will be done prior to the beginning of each school year to encourage enrollment. 52 VIII. ANNEXES Consent to participate in a research study McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program March 2022 Why have I been asked to participate in the study? • Because you are a teacher, volunteer or administrator in a school that participates in the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program project implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Honduras; • Because you are a key player in the program and because we have an interest in your perceptions of how the program relates to children's school performance What do I do first? • Before accepting, please read this form • Please ask any questions you may have How will things I say be kept private? • The records of this study will be kept private. • We will not include your name or that of any other person in written reports or documents • Research records (including audio recordings) will be kept in a locked file. • Research records will be destroyed within 3 years. • Access to research materials will be limited to researchers. • For focus group participation, we will keep all information confidential. However, other focus group participants will listen to your answers. Declaration of consent: • I have read (or someone has read to me) the contents of this consent form. • I have been encouraged to ask questions. • I have received answers to my questions. Exhibit 1 Informent Consent 53 • I give my consent to participate in this study. • I have received (or will receive) a copy of this form. Oral agreement: This form was read to the subject and/or the subject has read this form. The investigation was explained to him. The subject has had the opportunity to ask questions and his answers have been answered to the satisfaction of the subject. In my opinion, the subject has demonstrated understanding of the information Signature: _________________________ 54 Catholic Relief Services CRS International Program Food for Education and Child Nutrition La Paz TEACHER SURVEY Question / Section Response Categories Additional Directions Jumps - Logic Presentation Currently the MGD project is in its phase III and seeks to know the perception of teachers about the current situation of schools, teachers and the school system. We appreciate your valuable collaboration Do you agree to participate? Yes No End survey I. Ballot data 1. Date List of trained enumerators 2. Department 2. Municipality 3. School Review mechanism to link the school 4. Center Modality Type Common Pre basic Proheco Basic Common Basic Proheco CCEPREB CEB Institute Other II. Personal information 5. What is your full name? 6. Sex of the person surveyed 7. How many years have you been working in the educational system? Less than 3 years 4 to 7 years 8 to 15 years More than 15 years 8. Could you provide us with a phone number where I can contact you for additional questions? 9. Are you currently a classroom teacher? YES NO If you are not a teacher, you should not continue the survey one jump until the closing and dismissal 10. How many years have you been working as a teacher in this school? From 1 to 3 years From 4 to 6 years From 7 to 9 years 10 years or more type a number 11. What is the school level for which you work?Multiple choice pre basic First cycle second cycle Third cycle None Exhibit 2 Teacher survey 55 12. What grade(s) are you attending in school?Multiple choice 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade 9th grade None III. education data Instruction We are going to talk in general about the situation of the educational center and its teaching work 13. Do they receive any type of accompaniment from the Director or another educational authority? Yes No 14. What does the type of accompaniment you receive consist of or what aspects does it address? Multiple choice Review of educational center documentation. Calculation and / or Review of educational indicators of the center. Advice on effective management of the center. Advice on how to support the teacher General guidelines for attention to educational problems in the center. Others Specify what other aspects? 15. Compared to last year, what is your assessment of the reading level of second graders? Unique Option They have improved compared to the previous cycle It has decreased since the previous cycle. It is the same as in previous years. 16. What kind of methodological resources do you receive for your teaching work? Multiple choice teacher training Monitoring and Accompaniment Literature Methodological Support Work computer or phone Internet access Access to phone balance Prints and educational material None Other 17. From which organization do you receive the methodological resources?Multiple choice SEDUC Local NGO International NGO local government Private company Community organization church 56 community person 18. Do you consider that you have the resources to do your teaching work in the best possible way? if you say the last two go to the next I have all the resources, I have what it takes, The resources I have are not enough I don't have the resources 19. What kind of resources are you currently needing for your teaching work?Multiple choice Snack and diet support for students Monitoring and Supervision Literature Methodological Support Work computer or phone Internet access Access to phone balance Prints and educational material Other Specify which other? IV. statistics We will talk in detail about the process of statistics and attendance of the center. Implement, if the school is open or operating on a hybrid or remote system 20. What percentage of students reported absences due to illness more than once in past year? 21. What diseases are the most frequently reported as causes of absence? Multiple choice Diarrhea pneumonia / cold Hepatitis covid 19 Other: Specify which other? 22. Which of the following factors are the cause for the existence of statistical data that could not be processed and reported?Multiple choice It has never been necessary to report them Skip if they do not mark any of the above Lack of information lack of equipment Lack of office supplies. Lack of knowledge V. Reading Indicator 23. What factors do you think need urgent attention this year to improve reading comprehension and test results for children in your school?Multiple choice Teacher training. Strengthen fathers and mothers through the school for parents Provide reading material in the classroom. Provide reading material in families Support the operation of the library in the school Provide teaching resources for use by teachers. Support the feeding of children through the school snack 57 Strengthen the health of boys and girls. Raise awareness in the community to reduce child labor. Create reading opportunities at school and at home. Support the application of the semester, annual reading test. Strengthen pre-basic education Others None What is other factors? Only if you answered Others in the previous one. SAW. Class attendance indicator 24. How many male children did you serve as a teacher in your school the previous year? 25. How many girls did you serve as a teacher in your school the previous year? 26. What method are you using to record absences?Multiple choice Through daily class attendance lists. Through counseling or mentoring meetings. According to weekly homework deliveries. Registration of participants in virtual meetings Through calls and WhatsApp messages, the preparation of daily tasks is followed up. Does not record attendance. Another method. Specify which other? 27. Which group has the most absences? Girls Boys VII. absence indicator 28. How many boys were absent from school due to illness for more than 10 days in the last year? 29. How many girls were absent from school due to illness for more than 10 days in the last year? 30. What is the main reason as to why children are absent from school? Multiple Choice review non-stomach related diseases stomach disease for child labor By local internal migration For international migration For not having connectivity or internet Scarce economic resources. Transportation is missing. School abuse Bullying. Neglect of parents or guardian. Family disintegration. Parental decision not to send them to school. Other none What other reason? Only if another answered in the previous one. 31. Where do you record absences? Attendance book 58 in excel Notebooks Other 32. What actions do you take to integrate children into classes?Multiple choice Calls or messages to parents or guardian. Home visities. Report to school committee. CED, APF, Degree Directive. Incentives for attending class. I apply flexibility plan or recovery of missed classes. I'm doing nothing Other actions none What other actions? Only if you answer other actions. 33.How many boys do you attend in a normal class? 34. How many boys would you rate as very attentive in class (they get the message, they pay attention, they are ready to participate, they answer and ask questions) 35.How many girls do you attend in a normal class? 36.How many of the girls would you rate as very attentive in class? (they get the message, they pay attention, they are ready to participate, they answer and ask questions) 37.What factors do you think cause children to get distracted and not pay attention?Multiple choice Hyper activity of children. Too many distractions from the school environment, noise, children playing in the yard, noise, music. Many distractions in their houses, toys, TV, food, music. Classmates who annoy them. Non -stomach related diseases. stomach disease Hunger due to lack of school snack. Other distractors such as cell phones, Tablets, PC. Anxiety or stress in the child. Overcrowding in the classroom excess of students in the classroom. sadness or sleep Afraid. Other factors. Neither. What other factors? Only if others answer. Sustainability, efficiency, impact: 38. Is there a need in your school to improve teaching, hygiene and nutrition of students? Yes No IX. Final remarks Yes 39. Did you understand the questions? No Yes Sometimes 59 Final comment It takes about a minute for this survey to be sent automatically, thus preventing this valuable information from being lost. Please, once you have filled out the information requested in this survey, it must be sent. Your data is essential in the proper development of the project for the benefit of children, as well as teachers and authorities of the educational system. Thanks 60 Catholic Relief Services CRS McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program SURVEY OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS Question / Section Response Categories Additional Directions Jumps - Logic Presentation Good morning, we are part of the CRS team working to collect data for the baseline study of the third phase of the MGD project. To carry out this interview, the departmental Directorate has provided me with your contact, as director of the school. We are interested in completing some important data for the implementation of the project. The interview takes no more than 45 minutes and your information is confidential and valuable. Do you agree to participate? Yes No End survey I Ballot data 1. Collected by: List of trained surveyors 2. Date 3. Supervisor 4. Medium used Countryside Telephone Passed Code Check the code with your coordinator or on the assigned list. QR type II General Data 1. Name of the educational center 2. Educational center code 3. What is your full name? Automatic drop-down list of municipalities 4. Sex of the respondent Male Female 5. How many years have you been working in the education system?single option Less than 3 years 4 to 7 years 8 to 15 years More than 15 years 6. Cell phone number where you can be reached 7. Are you currently the director of the educational center? Yes No If the person is not a Director, but is interim responsible, remember to check yes. If the answer is not director, the poll should not continue a jump until closing and dismissal Exhibit 3 Survey of school directors 61 8. Do you have the telephone or contact number of the person who holds the position of Director of the Educational Center? If the person does not facilitate contact, enter "0" 8 times Only if you mark that you are not a director. Then finish the survey. Validation of an 8-digit number 9. How many years have you been working as director of this Educational Center? type a number III Education Data Instruction We want to confirm with you some data and characteristics of the school you direct. We appreciate the time provided and remind you that this data is used only for project purposes and is used confidentially. 10. Department 11. Municipality Automatic drop-down list of municipalities 12. Address of the educational center 13. Location Rural Urban Automatic drop-down list of municipalities 14. What type of access to basic services do they have in the educational center?Multiple choice Drinking water Electricity Internet Garbage collection Telephone Other 15. Type of educational center modality single option Pre Basic Common Proheco Pre basic Common Core I promise basic CCEPREB (community center for pre-basic education) CEB (basic education center) Institute Other 16. In what teaching mechanism does the educational center currently operate?Multiple choice Face-to-face If you choose face-to-face, go to 19 Semi face-to-face Skip to question 18 Virtual or from home Answer 17, but do not answer question No. 18 17. How does the virtual system work?Multiple choice Only if Virtual or at home is marked in question 16 By phone (messages and calls) Through home visits community groups Through daily internet calls Other Specify which other? 18. How many days of contact per week does the semi-face-to-face system have? Only if you mark semi face to face in question 16 Put validation of no more than 7. 19. What assessment can you make of the education system that you are currently implementing? Single Option It works very well and we are improving We have limitations but we are overcoming them. We have many problems and we are still learning. 62 It's not viable, but we don't have any other options at the moment. 20. Are you doing any kind of accompaniment to the teacher? Yes No 21. What is the type of accompaniment received by the teacher? Multiple choice class observation. Lesson planning review. Advice on teaching methodology. Feedback on aspects to improve in class development. Other aspects 22. Specify what other aspects? 23. Are you receiving accompaniment as a director? Yes If it is NO, go to 26 No 24. Describe what the type of accompaniment that the director receives consists of? Multiple choice Review of educational center documentation. Calculation and / or Review of educational indicators of the center. Advice on effective management of the center. Advice on how to support the teacher General guidelines for attention to educational problems in the center. Others 25. Specify what other aspects 26. What kind of support does this school receive? Multiple choice Workshops and Teacher Training Books ¨ School Literature ¨ library support school snack Health Brigades Psychological Support School Gardens / Nutrition School Curriculum Counseling Access to Water and Sanitation Management and administration Methodological Accompaniment Infrastructure improvement Other Specify which other? 27. Who provides this kind of support?Multiple choice SEDUC local NGO international NGO Social movements local government central government Private company church 28. From your perspective, what type of support does this educational center require as a priority? Multiple choice Workshops and Teacher Training Books ¨ School Literature ¨ library support school snack Health Brigades 63 Psychological Support School Gardens / Nutrition School Curriculum Counseling Access to Water and Sanitation Management and administration Methodological Accompaniment Infrastructure improvement Other Specify which other? early Reading 29. Were reading and reading comprehension tests applied to 2nd grade children in your school? Yes No I dont know If yes, go to 33(Renumber) 30. Why weren't reading and reading comprehension tests applied? Only if you answer No in the previous question 31. What factors do you think need to be urgently addressed this year to improve reading comprehension and test scores for children in your school?Multiple choice Teacher training. Strengthen fathers and mothers through the school for parents Provide reading material in the classroom. Provide reading material in families Support the operation of the library in the school Provide teaching resources for use by teachers. Support the feeding of children through the school snack Create reading opportunities at school and at home. Support the application of the semester, annual reading test. Others Specify which other? 32. What factors in the community, at home or at school, have affected the learning process of reading and writing of the first and second grade students? Set options (leave question closed) 33. Compared to last year, what barriers or factors have affected first and second graders' learning capabilities to read and write? Multiple choice Lack of Teacher Training Lack of teacher support Lack of monthly follow-up tests The teaching method used Lack of books and methodological resources Lack of help to the student at home Pandemic Other Specify which other? statistics We will talk more in detail about the statistical data in particular of the school. If you need a record, you can take the time to search for it right now. We will talk about the data available for this cycle. Implement, if the school is open or operating on a hybrid or remote system 64 34. In general, can you confirm which, from the data that I am going to mention below, you have available and are part of the records of your Educational Center.Multiple choice initial registration Please read all options to the interviewee. If it is necessary to stop or ask for a clarification, it is done. Number of students who dropped out of school Total Current Attendance Current attendance 1st grade Current attendance 2nd grade Number of students with adequate literacy at the end of 2nd grade Quality of Participation by grade Absence Statistics Causes of school absence Number of days absent due to illness Number of days of non-attendance due to migration Number of children absent due to migration Number of teachers and collaborators Number of guardians (mothers or fathers) who participate in or support the educational system None of the above Validate that you do not mark the rest of the options 35. Which of the following factors are the cause for the existence of statistical data that could not be processed and reported?Multiple choice has never been necessary Skip if they do not mark any of the above Lack of information lack of equipment Lack of office supplies. Lack of knowledge Neither 36. What is your evaluation of the SACE information system?Unique Option It is very useful it's easy to use It allows us to organize the data of the educational center It works with many difficulties. Currently I do not enter data in SACE 37. What resources do you need to improve the center's statistics record system?Multiple choice Nothing Equipment Information Training Assistance technique to formulate them Office supplies Other Specify which other? 38. How are center statistics recorded?single option Analog - By hand Digital Both of them None Participants in the school: 65 39. How many total students were enrolled in the 2022 school enrollment? Confirm the data as accurately as possible. If you don't remember, write 6 times 0 6 digit number validation 40. How many girls in total were enrolled in the 2022 school enrollment? 41. How many total children were enrolled in the 2022 school enrollment? 42. How many teachers in total are there at the school including yourself? 43. How many female teachers 44. How many male teachers Class attendance 45. Indicate which of the following are the most common causes for children not attending class in your community. Multiple choice Few financial resources of parents or guardians. The great distance between home and schools Lack of school supplies Lack of connectivity or internet Little interest from parents or guardians in attending classes. child labor Stomach disease or other derivatives of poor hygiene habits. Diseases due to the poor quality of water they consume. Lack of school lunch Insecurity in the school zone Household problems (separation from parents) Children who do not live with their parents Others None Specify which other? 46. What method are the teachers of your educational center using to record absences?Multiple choice Through daily class attendance lists. Through counseling or mentoring meetings. According to weekly homework deliveries. Registration of participants in virtual meetings Through calls and WhatsApp messages, the preparation of daily tasks is followed up. Does not record attendance. Another method. Specify which other? 47. What actions are you doing as director together with teachers and parents so that children continue to attend class daily and fulfill their duties?Multiple choice Calls or messages to parents or guardian. Home visities. Report to school committee. CED, APF, Degree Directive. Incentives for attending class. I apply flexibility plan or recovery of missed classes. I'm doing nothing Others Specify which other? Absence or desertion 66 48. What actions are you doing as director together with teachers and parents so that boys and girls who are absent for more than 10 days or drop out return to the educational center?Multiple choice Calls or messages to parents or guardian. Home visities. Report to school committee. CED, APF, Degree Directive. Incentives for attending class. I apply flexibility plan or recovery of missed classes. I'm doing nothing Others Specify which other? attention in class 49. What actions do you promote with your teachers and parents to avoid distractions of children and achieve greater concentration in class? Set categories (ask closed question),leave multiple answer Nutrition and school snack 50. Is there a need in your school to improve teaching, hygiene and nutrition of students? Yes No 51. In your school, what conditions exist to develop the teaching of food and nutritional education and processing of the school snack?Multiple choice Teachers trained in food and nutritional security. There are materials for teachers methodological guides that address the nutritional issue. There is reading material and work for students on nutritional issues. There is a school garden. The orchard committee is organized. The snack committee is organized. There is a basic school kitchen. There is a budget for the school lunch. There is a cellar for the school snack. None 52. What is the snack preparation process like at your school? single option They give it to each student to prepare at home. Parents prepare it at home and bring it to school. They prepare it in the school kitchen. There is no school lunch. Another way Specify which other way? 53. Which link in the snack supply chain is the weakest at your school?Multiple choice Lunch reception. Distribution of the snack to schools food storage Lunch delivery to families. Preparation of the snack at school. Other, indicate Specify which other? 54. Indicate the name of local actors that can be linked and incorporated into the support of schools for the supply of school meals to the educational center. (NGOs, projects, companies, cooperatives, associations, community organizations). 55. There are conditions in the community for local producers to be suppliers of food supplies for the school snack. IV Hydrosanitary Conditions 67 access to water We will better understand how the water and sanitation system works, please ask if any information is not clear to you. 56. What is the school's main source of water?Multiple choice From the local water system From a spring or surface source From a community water/sanitation project water harvest no access to water Sanitary conditions 57. In the educational center, do they classify the garbage Paper, Plastic, organic, glass, metals? Yes No If you answer - no, go to question 67 How many trashcans does the educational center have? 58. What kind of improvements does the school's health and hygiene system require? Sanitary Services Infrastructure (Floors, Stands or Walls) Support staff Installation of drainage or drainage system Extension of the existing Installation of dumpsters Other sustainability 59. Which of the following organizations exist in your school?Multiple choice teachers council Degree directive. Society of fathers and mothers of the APF family. CED Development School Council School lunch committee. Garden Committee. Community Library. School network organization. Food and Nutrition Security Committee 60. With which private and government companies, NGOs, could alliances be made on the issue of school feeding? 61. How do you consider the participation of the private company in the issue of school feeding would be? 62. Can you make it easy for your first and second grade teachers to contact you? YES Name: ___________________ Grade: _________ Phone: _____________ Name: ___________________ Grade: _________ Phone: _____________ If you check Yes, write down in the base with your coordinator the data of the teachers provided No ODS Concluding remarks No Did you understand the questions? Yes No Sometimes 68 Final comment It takes about a minute for this survey to be sent automatically, thus preventing this valuable information from being lost. Please, once you have filled out the information requested in this survey, it must be sent. Your data is essential in the proper development of the project for the benefit of children, as well as teachers and authorities of the educational system. Thanks end of interview 69 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES CRS McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program INTERVIEW FOR LOCAL ACTORS Instructions 1. Read the consent form 2. Start with a personal introduction (name of interviewer) 3. Indicate the objective of the study: “Evaluate the initial state of the project”. 4. Emphasize that the information you say will not be used for any other purpose nor will outsiders be informed of what is said. 5. start the questions General data 1. Interviewer Name: ___________________ 3. Date of survey: ____________________________________ I. Interviewee Information 1. Department Name: _______________2. Name of the Municipality: _____________________ 3. Municipality code ________________4. Interviewed name: ______________________ 5. Sex: ________________ 6. Years of working in your position: ____________________________ 7. Organization you represent:______________________________________________ General questions 1. Can you describe to us what are the initiatives in school feeding and education that you have planned in 2022 or subsequent years? 2. Describe your actions on the subject of school feeding and education in the municipality or department and the level of scope, that is, if your actions are at the school, community, municipal or departmental level and how it contributes to improving the learning of children? 3. How or who finances the operation of your organization? Coordination 4. Are there agreements or strategic alliances between your organization and other government or non-government agencies, in the area of education and school feeding in the municipality or department and how are they linked or coordinated? explain? 5. Are there other allied actors of your organization that are investing resources in improving education and school meals in the municipality or department? Who are they? Actions Exhibit 4 Interview for local actors 70 6. What actions in the area of education and school feeding have been successfully developed in previous years and what positive and negative aspects could you mention from that experience? 7. What activities or programs have you worked on in the recent past to achieve results that contribute to the improvement of education in your municipality or department, specifically in the areas of school meals, reading, reduction of school absenteeism and desertion, and others? What were the limitations faced and how did you overcome them? 8. What is the current educational situation or problem of your municipality or the department that you consider priority to attend to for the next 4 years to improve the learning of boys and girls and reduce absenteeism from classes due to illness and dropout caused by school issues? child labour, internal or external migration? 9. What actions does your organization take to improve health and hygiene conditions in schools and the community in order to reduce absenteeism from class by children due to illness? Which ones could you do or participate in the immediate future? Capabilities 10. In which areas do you consider that municipal organizations such as COMDE, the Education Board, School Meals Committees, which work on education and school meals, need to be strengthened: organizational, administrative, logistical, personal areas? Explain? Sustainability 11. How can your organization collaborate so that school feeding is permanent in schools? Explain through which mechanism? 12. What organizations and institutions could support at the municipal and departmental level to strengthen school feeding in schools? 13. How do you consider that the participation of the private company in the issue of school feeding should be and how would you seek to make alliances? 14. Can your organization support schools to test students for early reading, monitor attendance, and reduce absenteeism and dropout rates? How can this support be achieved and through what mechanism? Explain? Impact 15. Is the organization you represent willing to establish alliances to support and invest in a school feeding project that contributes to improving literacy among school-age children in the communities of your municipality or department, increasing access to education, reducing absenteeism and school dropout? Why or why not? 71 16. Are you willing to support initiatives of projects and organizations that work to improve the health and nutrition conditions of families and change food and hygiene practices of school-age children? Why or why not? Coherence 17. How can the school feeding project support and complement the educational initiatives implemented by your organization or other organizations in La Paz? 72 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES CRS McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program INTERVIEW FOR MUNICIPAL DIRECTORS Instructions 1. Read the consent form 2. Start with a personal introduction (name of interviewer) 3. Indicate the objective of the study: “Evaluate the initial state of the project”. 4. Emphasize that the information you say will not be used for any other purpose nor will external people be informed of what is said. 5. start the questions General data 1. Interviewer Name: ___________________ 3. Date of survey: ____________________________________ I. Interviewee Information 1. Department Name: _______________2. Name of the Municipality: _____________________ 3. Municipality code ________________4. Interviewed name: ______________________ 5. Sex: ________________6. Term(s) as District Director: ____________________________ General questions 18. Can you describe to us what are the initiatives in education that you have planned in 2022 or subsequent years? 19. What type of support (monetary or in kind) does the Municipal Directorate of Education have and who provides this support? How do you finance the operation of the municipal office? Coordination 20. Are there agreements or strategic alliances of the Municipal Directorate with other governmental and non-governmental entities, in the area of education and school feeding in the municipality or department and how are they linked or coordinated? Explain? 21. Are there other actors allied with the Municipal Directorate that are investing resources in improving education and school meals in the municipality? Who are they? Exhibit 5 Interview municipal directors 73 Actions 22. What actions in the area of education and school feeding have been successfully developed in previous years and what positive and negative aspects could you mention from that experience? 23. What activities or programs has the Municipal Directorate worked on in the recent past to achieve results that contribute to the improvement of education in your municipality, specifically in the areas of school feeding, reading, reduction of school absenteeism and desertion? What were the limitations faced and how did they overcome them? 24. What is the current educational situation or problem in your municipality, which areas do you consider to be a priority for the next 4 years to improve the learning of boys and girls and reduce absenteeism from classes due to illness and school dropout due to issues of internal migration or external? 25. What actions does the Municipal Directorate take to improve health and hygiene conditions in schools and the community in order to reduce class absenteeism of children due to illness? Capabilities 26. In which areas do you consider that municipal organizations such as COMDE, the Education Board, School Meals Committees, which work on education and school meals, need to be strengthened: organizational, administrative, logistical, personal areas? Explain? Sustainability 27. How can the Municipal Directorate collaborate with the project so that school feeding is permanent in schools? a. Have you considered staff support to coordinate and in what way? 28. What organizations and institutions could provide support at the municipal level to strengthen school feeding in schools? 29. How do you think the participation of the private company should be in the issue of school feeding and how would you seek to make alliances? 30. Is there a Municipal Council for the Development of Education in your municipality (COMDE) in charge of managing and implementing educational projects in favor of the learning of girls and boys, reducing absenteeism and school desertion? What actions are prioritized? Explain your answer? 31. Does the Municipal Directorate have a strategic plan for 5 or more years to develop the education of boys and girls? Explain which educational areas are prioritized in the municipal area andd if you have a budget to develop them? 74 32. Can the municipal government support schools to apply early reading tests to students, monitor attendance and reduce absenteeism and school dropouts? How can this support be achieved and through what mechanism or organization? Explain? Impact 33. Is the Municipal Directorate willing to establish alliances to support and invest in a school feeding project that contributes to improving the literacy of school-age children in the communities of its municipality, increasing access to education, reducing absenteeism and school dropout? Why or why not? 34. Are you willing to support initiatives of projects and organizations that work to improve the health and nutrition conditions of families and change food and hygiene practices of school-age children? Why or why not? Coherence 35. How can the school feeding project support and complement the educational initiatives implemented by the Municipal Directorate or other organizations in La Paz? 75 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES CRS McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program FOCUS GROUP DIRECTORS OF EDUCATIONAL NETWORKS Audience: 12 to 16, 50% men and 50% women, directors of schools in the educational network. a) Welcome: (10 minutes before formally starting the session). Greetings, thanks. b) Introduction: (3 minutes). Presentation of facilitator, rapporteur and group members. Request group collaboration. c) Objectives: (4 minutes). Objectives of the focus group and permissions for photographs or recording. d) General Information (3 minutes). Rules and mechanics of the session. Confidentiality of information. e) Development of the session (2 hours and 30 minutes). Open-ended question guide: We are going to share your opinions and experiences about what you know, what you think and what you do regarding children's attendance at school, children's learning and school feeding. General data 1. Interviewer Name: ___________________ 3. Date of survey: ____________________________________ General questions 1. Can you describe to us what is your role in the educational network? 2. How many schools does the educational network have, and how are projects managed and implemented in the network? 3. What is the frequency of meetings and attendance of all its members? Children's attendance at classes 4. What method is the school using to teach classes and measure learning? (Face-to-face, semi-face-to-face, virtual). 5. Explain how it is affecting children's learning in reading and writing. 6. Has the attendance of children to class been reduced in schools or has it been maintained compared to years before the pandemic? What are the reasons why this is happening? 7. What is the network doing so that boys and girls keep attending class daily and fulfill their homework? 8. How do you keep the attendance records of your educational center being the modality (Face-to-face, Semi-face-to-face, virtual)? Exhibit 6 Focus group with directors of educational network 76 Attention in class of the children: 9. On the days that you are in the schools with the presence of boys and girls, have you observed if the school children are distracted or do not pay attention in class? What factors related to the community, the home and the school cause this phenomenon to occur? 10. What are you doing as directors to improve the attention of children in the classes and what do you recommend so that other directors can do it? 11. To what extent is the lack of a school snack or poor nutrition a factor for children not being attentive in class? How can you improve on this topic? Early reading and reading comprehension: 12. Have you observed if the children in the school present problems when reading and understanding what they have read? Why does this problem arise and how can directors and educational networks help to overcome it? 13. Do you know the results of your school's reading comprehension tests from the previous year? What community, school, and household factors are causing these results? 14. What actions at the school level should be carried out to improve children's learning and reading at an early age? Who should participate? 15. Do you consider that the pandemic has reduced the level of learning? What are the reasons that this is happening? 16. The selected method, which the school is using to teach classes and measure learning. Explain how this method is affecting children's learning to read and write. Absence from school/Dropout 17. Are children in the community absent from school for more than 10 days? What factors are related to this happening in your community? 18. In your community, are stomach illnesses a factor in children being absent from school for long periods? 19. Are there problems in your community of Hygiene, Access to safe water, Malnutrition in children that are currently being done in this situation and what can be done in the future to avoid it? 20. In your communities that belong to the educational network, is migration a factor that is causing the absence of boys and girls in schools? Explain what type of internal or external migration and why is it occurring? 21. How do principals participate and what actions do they take to support the school in reducing the absence of boys and girls in class and reducing school dropouts? School enrollment 22. Have you noticed an increase or decrease in enrollment at the school? In your opinion, what factors cause this change in enrollment? 77 School feeding management 23. Did you narrate the experience with school feeding in previous years in your educational center, identify positive factors and the limitations that you had in that experience? Capabilities 24. What aspects of municipal and community organizations linked to education and school meals do you consider should be strengthened (staff training, logistics, legalization, administrative, material resources, equipment, economics)? Explain why? Sustainability: 25. Explain how principals and their organizations can support or collaborate so that school feeding is permanent in schools? 26. Are there producers who can be local food suppliers to the schools in your municipality, what food could they provide? 27. With which private and government companies, NGOs, could alliances be made on the issue of school feeding? And what do you think would be the participation of the private company in the issue of school feeding? Impact 28. Explain how a school snack project can cause positive changes in learning and lower rates of non-attendance, failure and dropout rates in your municipality? 29. In your community, how can a school snack project help improve the health, hygiene and poor nutrition of school-age children and their families? Coherence 30. Are there programs and projects in your municipalities that have the objective of improving health and education and that could be strategic allies for a school snack project? could you mention them? 78 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES CRS LOCAL AND REGIONAL PURCHASES PROJECT HONDURAS LRP FOCUS GROUP SCHOOL FEEDING COMMITTEE Audience: 10 to 12 mothers or fathers from school feeding committees, 8 groups in total, 4 men and 4 women. a) Welcome: (10 minutes before formally starting the session). Greetings, thanks. b) Introduction: (3 minutes). Presentation of facilitator, rapporteur and group members. Request group collaboration. c) Objectives: (4 minutes). Objectives of the focus group and permissions for photographs or recording. d) General Information (3 minutes). Rules and mechanics of the session. Confidentiality of information e) Development of the session (2 hours). Open-ended question guide: We are going to share your thoughts and experiences about what you know, what you think and what you do about school feeding. General data 1. Interviewer Name: ___________________ 3. Date of survey: ____________________________________ I. Interviewee Information 1. Name of the municipality: _____________________2. Municipality code____________ 3. Number of participants_______ a. Male _____ b. Feminine _______ General questions 1. Can you describe what role you play in the school? 2. How many members does the school feeding committee have, and how are all members involved? 3. What is the frequency of the meetings and do all your members attend? 4. What foods make up the school snack for boys and girls? Who provides these foods? Coordination 5. What are the community organizations that are involved in the issue of school meals and coordinate activities with the Snack Committee? 6. What are the roles of organizations involved in ensuring school feeding? Exhibit 7 Focus group with the school feeding committee 79 Actions 7. Describe the current work process of the snack committee in the educational center? What do the women do and what do the men on the committee do? 8. What has been the experience with school feeding in previous years and what are the positive and negative factors that you had from that experience? 9. Do snack committees have the necessary equipment to carry out their work? (Stoves, kitchen utensils, personal protective equipment: aprons, gloves, hats, other) Explain how you acquired it? Capabilities 10. What topics have the snack committees been trained on and who trained them? Explain how this has helped improve the nutrition of the children at school and those of your family? If not, explain why you have not been trained? 11. What are the strengthening needs of the Snack Committee currently? Consider areas like organization, equipment, infrastructure, personal training. Expectations of boys and girls: 12. What is the children's response to the topic of school meals? Do you like the food, vegetables that are prepared for you at school? Explain how the school snack helps class attendance? 13. To what extent is the consumption of junk food (churros and cola) and bad hygienic habits a common practice among school children? Do you consider that this is a disease factor that is preventing children from attending classes? Explain what happens in your family and community? How can it be improved? Sustainability 14. Does the educational center in your community have a warehouse, kitchen, children's dining room? Is the kitchen equipped with electric or gas stoves, does it have plates, glasses, spoons and other utensils? explain. 15. From your perspective, what factors would limit or prevent the supply of food products from local producers and companies to schools? Impact 16. Explain how a school snack project can cause positive changes in learning and lower rates of non-attendance, failure and dropout rates in your municipality? 17. In your community, how can a school snack project help improve the health, hygiene and poor nutrition of children? Coherence 18. Are there programs and projects in your communities that have the objective of improving health and education and that could be strategic allies for a school snack project? could you mention them? 80 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES CRS McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program FOCUS GROUP OF SCHOOL TEACHERS Audience: from 8 to 12 Teachers from schools in the educational network. a) Welcome: (10 minutes before formally starting the session). Greetings, thanks. b) Introduction: (3 minutes). Presentation of facilitator, rapporteur and group members. Request group collaboration. c) Objectives: (4 minutes). Objectives of the focus group and permissions for photographs or recording. d) General Information (3 minutes). Rules and mechanics of the session. Confidentiality of information. e) Development of the session (2 hours and 30 minutes). Open-ended question guide: We are going to share your opinions and experiences about what you know, what you think and what you do regarding children's attendance at school, children's learning and school feeding. General data 1. Interviewer Name: ___________________ 3. Date of survey: ____________________________________ Children's attendance at classes 1. What method is the school using to teach classes and measure learning? (Face-to￾face, face-to-face Sami, virtual). 2. How do you keep the attendance records of your educational center being the modality (Face-to-face, Semi-face-to-face, virtual)? 3. Explain how the method used is affecting children's learning to read 4. . Explain how the method used is affecting children's learning to write. 5. Has children's class attendance been reduced in your school or has it remained the same compared to years before the pandemic? What are the reasons why this is happening? 6. What are you doing as a teacher so that your boys and girls keep attending class daily and fulfill their duties? Attention in class of the children: 7. Have you noticed if the children of the school are distracted or do not pay attention in the classes on the days that they are with the presence of boys and girls? What factors related to the community, the home and the school cause this phenomenon to occur? 8. What are you doing as a teacher to improve children's attention in class and what do you recommend for other teachers to do? Exhibit 8 Focus group with schools teachers 81 9. To what extent is the lack of a school snack or poor nutrition a factor for children not being attentive in class? How can you improve on this topic? Early reading and reading comprehension: 10. Have you observed if a percentage of children in the school present problems when reading and understanding what they have read? Why does this problem arise and how can teachers and educational networks help to overcome it? 11. Do you know the results of your school's reading and reading comprehension tests from the previous year? What community, school, and household factors are causing these results? 12. What actions at the school level should be carried out to improve children's learning and reading at an early age? Who should participate? 13. Do you consider that the pandemic has reduced the level of learning? What are the reasons that this is happening? 14. The selected method, which the school is using to teach classes and measure learning. Explain how this method is affecting children's learning to read and write. Absence from school dropout 15. Are children in the community absent from school for more than 10 days? What factors are related to this happening in your community? 16. In your community, are stomach illnesses a factor in children being absent from school for long periods? 17. Are there problems in your community of Hygiene, Access to safe water, Malnutrition in children, what is currently being done in this situation and what can be done in the future to avoid it? 18. In your communities, is migration a factor that is causing the absence of boys and girls in schools? Explain what type of internal or external migration and why is it occurring? 19. How do teachers participate and what actions do they take to support the school to reduce the absence of boys and girls in class and reduce school dropouts? school enrollment 20. Have you noticed an increase or decrease in enrollment at the school? In your opinion, what factors cause this change in enrollment? School feeding management 21. Did you narrate the experience with school feeding in previous years in your educational center, identify positive factors and the limitations that you had in that experience? 82 capabilities 22. What aspects of municipal and community organizations linked to education and school meals do you consider should be strengthened (staff training, logistics, legalization, administrative, material resources, equipment, economics)? Explain why? Sustainability: 23. Explain how teachers can support or collaborate so that school feeding is permanent in schools? 24. With which private and government companies, NGOs, could alliances be made on the issue of school feeding? And what do you think would be the participation of the private company in the issue of school feeding? Impact 25. Explain how a school snack project can cause positive changes in learning and lower rates of non-attendance, failure and dropout rates in your municipality? 26. In your community, how can a school snack project help improve the health, hygiene and poor nutrition of school-age children and their families? Coherence 27. Are there programs and projects in your municipalities that have the objective of improving health and education and that could be strategic allies for a school snack project? could you mention them? 83 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES CRS McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program FOCAL GROUP PARENTS Audience: 10 to 12 mothers or fathers (50% men and 50% women) from the Parents Associations APFs a) Welcome: (10 minutes before formally starting the session). Greetings, thanks. b) Introduction: (3 minutes). Presentation of facilitator, rapporteur and group members. Request group collaboration. c) Objectives: (4 minutes). Objectives of the focus group and permissions for photographs or recording. d) General Information (3 minutes). Rules and mechanics of the session. Confidentiality of information e) Development of the session (2 hours). Open-ended question guide: We are going to share your opinions and experiences about what you know, what you think and what you do regarding children's attendance at school, children's learning and school feeding. General data 1. Interviewer Name: ___________________ two. Survey date: ____________________________________ General questions 1. Can you describe what role you play in the school? If you belong to any organization of the school Classroom Board. Parents' Association APF, School Development Council CED, School Meals Committee, Orchard Committee, other. 2. How many members does the school committee or organization you participate in have, and how are all members involved in school activities? (Differences in the response by sex,roles and responsibilities). 3. What is the frequency of meetings andYesDo all your members attend? Children's attendance to classes 1. What method is the school using to teach classes and measure learning? (Face-to￾face, semi-face-to-face, virtual). 2. Has the attendance of children to class been reduced in schools or has it been maintained compared to years before the pandemic? What are the reasons why this is happening? 3. What is making the network so that the boys and girls keep attending class daily and fulfill their homework? 4. How do you keep the attendance records of your educational center being the modality (Face-to-face, Semi-face-to-face, virtual)? Exhibit 9 Focus group with parents 84 Attention in class: 1. On the days that you are in the schools with the presence of boys and girls, have you observed if the school children are distracted or do not pay attention in class? What factors related to the community, the home and the school cause this phenomenon to occur? 2. What are you doing as a parent to improve the attention of the children in the classes and what do you recommend so that other parents can do it? 3. To what extent is the lack of a school snack or poor nutrition a factor for children not being attentive in class? How can you improve on this topic? Early reading and reading comprehension: 1. Have you observed if the children in the school present problems when reading and understanding what they have read? Why does this problem arise and how can directors and educational networks help to overcome it? 2. Do you know the results of your school's reading and reading comprehension tests from the previous year? What community, school, and household factors are causing these results? 3. What actions at the school level should be carried out to improve children's learning and reading at an early age? Who should participate? 4. Do you consider that the pandemic has reduced the level of learning? What are the reasons that this is happening? 5. The selected methodthat the school is using to teach classes and measure learning. Explain how this method is affecting children's learning to read and write. Absence from school/Dropout 1. Are children in the community absent from school for more than 10 days? What factors are related to this happening in your community? 2. In your community, are stomach illnesses a factor in children being absent from school for long periods? 3. Are there problems in your community of Hygiene, Access to safe water, Malnutrition in children that are currently being done in this situation and what can be done in the future to avoid it? 4. In your community, is migration a factor that is causing the absence of boys and girls in schools? Explain what type of internal or external migration and why is it occurring? 5. How do parents participate and what actions do they take to support the school to reduce the absence of boys and girls in class and reduce school dropouts? School enrollment 1. Have you noticed an increase or decrease in school enrollment? In your opinion, what factors cause this change in the enrollment of the school in your community? 85 School feeding management 2. Did you narrate the experience with school feeding in previous years in your educational center, identify positive factors and the limitations that you had in that experience? Capabilities 3. What aspects of the organizations that support the educational center related to education and school meals do you consider should be strengthened (staff training, logistics, legalization, administrative, material resources, equipment, economics)? Explain why? Sustainability: 4. Explain how parents and their organizations can support or collaborate so that school feeding is permanent in schools? 5. With which private and government companies, NGOs, could alliances be made on the issue of school feeding? And what do you think would be the participation of the private company in the issue of school feeding? Impact 1. Explain how a school snack project can cause positive changes in learning and lower rates of non-attendance, failure and dropout rates in your municipality? 2. In your community, how can a school snack project help improve the health, hygiene and poor nutrition of school-age children and their families? Coherence 3. Are there programs and projects in your communities that have the objective of improving health and education and that could be strategic allies for a school snack project? could you mention them? 86 Exhibit 10 Methodology to determine percentage of very attentive students 87 Terms of Reference Baseline Evaluation Study McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program Expansion, La Paz I. INTRODUCTION A. Background: CRS began working in Honduras in 1959 to promote holistic human development. In its nearly 60 years in country, CRS has sought to create a more just and peaceful society by serving the most vulnerable populations, especially those living in poverty, and has developed a strong reputation for implementing quality projects with measurable results. Since 2012, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), is working in coordination with local organizations (partners organizations), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Ministry of Social Development through its School Feeding Program, have been implementing the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (MGD – FFE) in Honduras. This program is funded by the Department of Agriculture of the United States of America (USDA) and provides donated food commodities for school meals, as well all the financial resources required to implement each of the technical components of the project. B. Project context The project’sstrategic goal isto improve the literacy ofschool age children in the 17 municipalities of the department of Intibucá, Honduras. The first phase of the three-year project ended in December 2015. A second phase for five-years (2016- March 2021), (MGDII), was approved in November 2015 and began implementation in February 2016. In October 2020, phase III (MGDII) of the project was approved, which will be implemented from November 2020 to September 2025, the project includes a budget of $ 25 million. In September 2021, phase III of the project was approved to expand the project into La Paz, Honduras. CRS’ overarching Theory of Change for MDG III is, IF the school system is strengthened and delivers quality literacy instruction, IF children benefit from safe and nutritious meals, IF schools provide a safe and stimulating learning environment, IF children and parents adopt improved health and dietary practices, IF parental and community participation in activities leading to improved learning and nutrition is strengthened, and IF key public, private and civil society stakeholders co-develop appropriate, evidence-based policies and practices, THEN children in Intibucá and La Paz will attend school regularly, Exhibit 11 Terms of Reference Baseline 88 thrive and learn during MGD III and beyond. The project will seek two strategic objectives: SO1, Improved Literacy of School-Age Children, contributing to expected results 1.1 Improved Quality of Literacy Instruction, 1.2 Improved Attentiveness and 1.3 Improved Student Attendance; and SO2, Increased Use of Health and Dietary Practices, contributing to all ofthe expected results and including the additionalresult 2.8 Increased Knowledge of Improved Antenatal Care and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices (see Appendix A/ Results Framework). The critical assumptions of the project are the following: IR 1.1 Critical Assumptions: 1) Following 2021 elections, new Government of Honduras (GOH) education officials share MGD III goals and are willing to continue making systemic and resource allocation changes; 2) Challenges such as COVID-19 or political unrest do not result in prolonged school closures. IR 1.2 Critical Assumptions: Despite the possible transition of key officials following the 2021 elections, the GOH will gradually assume financial responsibility for funding the dry and fresh rations in Intibucá and La Paz as envisioned in the National School Feeding Law and outlined in its agreements with CRS;1 IR 1.3 Critical Assumptions: 1) Surges in violence in target communities do not impede attendance; and 2) COVID-19, political unrest or other challenges do not result in schoolclosures or supply chain disruptions. SO2 Critical Assumptions: 1) Newly appointed key GOH authorities are willing to coordinate with MGD III to deliver trainings; and 2) newly elected local governments are willing to allocate financial resources to support school infrastructure projects. CRS brings together a strategic consortium to achieve these objectives, with roles designed to support the ministries of social development and inclusion, education, health and local municipalities to address systemic challenges through evidence-based methodologies. In partnership with the Central Committee for Water and Comprehensive Development in Intibucá (COCEPRADII), the Education Development Center (EDC), Association for the Integrated Management of Watersheds and Development in La Paz and Comayagua (ASOMAICUPACO), and Feed the Children Honduras, MGD III will use a systems strengthening and collaborative approach to seamlessly build on and expand USAID’s early grade reading work, address maternal child health deficiencies in the poorest municipalities, increase capacity to procure food products locally, and consolidate local stakeholders’ capacity to implement school feeding, nutrition and (WASH) interventions in 913 new schools, reaching an additional 44,481 preschool, primary school students and a total of 112,818 direct beneficiaries in La Paz and Intibucá. Table 1. KEY INTERVENTIONS TO BE STUDIED IN PERFORMANCE EVALUATION 89 School Feeding – USDA Commoditie s All school children in Intibucá will receive a daily school meal that includes USDA commodities (CSB+, rice, small red beans, yellow corn and vegetable oil). The requested commodities and ration sizes for the daily school meal were designed with the daily nutrient requirements and preferences of children in mind, meeting 33% of their recommended daily calorie intake, 1 CRS’ current MOU will be updated to reflect SEDIS’ financial commitment to school feeding in Intibucá, as per agreements reached between CRS and SEDIS’ Vice-Minister during the development of this proposal, and as referenced in SEDIS’ signed letter of support. 90 between 34-36% of their daily protein requirements, and 13-18% of iron, 26-31% of zinc and 60-90% of Vitamin A. New SEDUC Early Grade Reading Curriculu m 28,854 first through sixth graders in La Paz will be exposed to a new early grade reading curriculum toolkit that was developed by EDC and SEDUC with USAID funding. The curriculum is aligned to Reading MATTERS, USAID’s framework to assess and guide high-quality, holistic education, addressing effective instruction, mentorship and coaching, administrators’ roles, quality texts and materials, assessment according to standards, and opportunities for practice reading outside of school. Social Behavior Change in Nutrition, Hygiene and WASH Practices CRS will adapt a simple, sustainable and scalable SBC curriculum in 347 schools, targeting healthy eating and lifestyle choices, handwashing, general hygiene and menstrual hygiene management for girls. The main components include the CHAST model, an interactive hygiene curriculum involving games, exercises and role plays that help children more fully grasp key issues related to nutrition, personal cleanliness and hygiene, and low-cost “nudge” approaches, or environmental cues that engage unconscious decision-making processes by changing the way choices are presented, in turn prompting behavior change. Considering the context from the declaration of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the Ministry of Education of Honduras initiated the closure of schools on Friday, March 13, 2020. During the rest of 2020 and through the 2021 school year the suspension of person classes in the country was maintained A small number of schools have been selected for a pilot for hybrid classes in La Paz. The Ministry of Eduacation has signaled that all schools will begin hybrid learning in the 2022 school year which begins in February. II. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY A. General: Utilizing a participatory approach, the consultant will establish MGD phase III Baseline values through field work in the project intervention area. B. Specific: • Conduct field data collection to determine MGD III baseline values for results indicators that apply in La Paz. • Conduct a critical and objective analysis, about the results of the baseline, utilizing quantitative and qualitative techniques. • Provide recommendations for the adaptation of the monitoring plan and project evaluation plan based on the data obtained. 91 • Generate data for accountability on behalf of the people CRS serves (beneficiaries), stakeholders, and the program donor. III. SCOPE OF CONSULTANCY A. Purpose Baseline data serves several functions: 1) to establish initial conditions of the different comparison groups with respect to each indicator, providing a basis against which to compare midterm and final evaluation data; 2) to collect data for each performance indicator and help project staff adjust project targets as needed; and 3) to establish questions to test the project’s theory of change. C. Audience and Key Stakeholders The audience and key stakeholders for the Baseline include: USDA and other U.S. Government donors; the Honduran Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion; theDepartmental and Municipal Authorities of Education in La Paz; CRS project team; and other key stakeholders in La Paz including school principals, staff, teachers, students, local community leaders, PTA members, and parents. All project stakeholders will have the opportunity to participate in the Baseline in order to ensure a transparent process that is inclusive of various perspectives. C.Use of Findings CRS will use the baseline findings to measure the current status of all performance indicators and collectively adjust the annual targets, ensuring they are realistic and ambitious. This early analysis will help the project team to identify any necessary adjustments to project strategies. CRS will disseminate baseline findings to government and other stakeholders, such as NGOs and donors, to aid in generalizability for policy decisions and advocacy efforts during community meetings with local actors and in regional and national working groups with national actors. In general, the baseline findings will be used to: • Identify necessary adjustments for improving programmatic quality; • Provide a participatory platform for improved capacity strengthening of CRS, partners and other stakeholders; • Improve accountability to project beneficiaries; • Provide timely donor reports; and, • Provide important information to government and other key stakeholders to aid in policy decisions and advocacy efforts. 92 D. Dissemination Plan Another priority aspect will be the dissemination of information obtained from the baseline process with different stakeholders, including participants, local authorities, government agencies, donors and other organizations. Stakeholder participation will be essential for data validation, data use, mutual ownership of the findings and recommendations, and an important strategy for transfer of skills and knowledge for sustained phase-over activities. CRS will ensure that results are shared in 93 appropriate formats and at various venues. As part of sharing all lessons learned, findings and recommendations will be disseminated as follows: Stakeholder Key findings Channel(s) of communication Product(s) USDA • Quality of service • Learning agenda MGD • Key evaluation criteria ● Final report ● Meeting with lead researcher ● Executive Summary ● Final document ● Infographic GOH (Local and National Level) • Lessons learned • Best practices • Impact & Findings • Recommendations • Participants in the process ● Dissemination meeting ● Executive Summary ● Final document ● Infographic Community Members and Structures, Teachers and School Administrators • Participants in the process • Impact & Findings • Lessons learned Dissemination meeting ● Executive Summary ● Final document ● Infographic Students • Participant satisfaction and food preferences Dissemination document ● Infographic It is expected that the key findings that have been determined in the previous table will respond to the information needs of each stakeholder. CRS is strongly committed to operational and programmatic excellence, which demands continuous improvement in our ability to document, analyze and apply learning at the project, sector and agency levels, and to share our reflections with stakeholders, practitioners and policymakers. As CRS places a high priority on learning activities and as part of this process the baseline report will be a learning product that will provide evidence for the learning agenda of both USDA and the project, specifically in the question "In what ways do the combination of school meal interventions and educational interventions improve education and literacy levels?" (Education/literacy, key question #1) E. Methodology 1E. Evaluation Design The consultant can considerthe following elementsfor the design of the baseline, but the elements suggested will be evaluated in conjunction with the consultant’s experience in evaluation and research. It will be carried out a mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) performance evaluation, utilizing a non-experimental, pre-post design. The pre￾post design will allow the consortium to determine whether statistically significant changes have occurred in results-level indicators by measuring and comparing baseline values to those same indicator values at midterm and final evaluations. A random sample survey will be conducted. Additionally, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, direct observations and other participative methods will be used to provide qualitative data. In addition, a 94 thorough review of project reports will be incorporated into the analysis process. 95 The design should reflect how the collection of information will take place and ensure that the assessment has the necessary scientific validity and rigor. The methodology for the entire process must be participatory, oriented to learning, and ensure an objective view of the results from the perspective of all parties and from the analysis of evidence in the field 2E. Key Questions The external evaluator will collect data on project sustainability, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and coherence, as described in the following table. Specific questions for key stakeholders will be included in school observation checklists and interview guides to address each of these components. Criteria Evaluation Questions Sustainability • How do changes in the government’s capacities, policies, procedures and priorities facilitate (or impede) sustainability? • To what extent could the private sector actively participate in the different interventions of the project level? • Are realistic funding scenarios in place for Honduran institutions to assume responsibility for school feeding in La Paz? How does the educational support community plan and implement literacy-promotion activities in the absence of external resources? (Literacy) • What is the involvement of local actors in improving standards for food preparation and school infrastructure? (MCN) Relevance • Do project stakeholders (students, teachers, PTAs, parents and local officials) feel theproject could met their needs? Why or why not? • Effectiveness • To what extent could the project interventions be effective in meeting output and outcome targets? Efficiency • Which activities or programs has the community worked on to achieve outcomes that will contribute to education in the department of La Paz specifically around topics of school feeding, reading/literacy and WASH in schools? What were the critical factors that allowed to provide those inputs? Impact • Could the project contribute to improved school-age children’s literacy? Why or why not? • Could the project contribute to improved school-age children’s health and dietary practices? Why or Why not? Coherence • To what extent could project interventions be complementary with initiatives implemented by other CRS projects in La Paz? (Internal coherence) • To what extent could project interventions support education initiatives implemented by other organizations in La Paz? (External coherence) • How well does the project design align with the SEDUC and SEDIS goals, objectives and strategies? Considering that MGD II is about to finish the final evaluation, it is necessary that during the baseline process the recommendations that emerge are followed up. 3E. Data Collection Methods and Sources of Data Led by an external evaluator (preferably the same entity for all evaluation events), cross-sectional data will be gathered at baseline (and repeated at 96 midterm and final evaluations) complemented with qualitative data from focus groups and key informant interviews. In order to maintain 97 comparable data between baseline, midterm and final evaluations, CRS will use a standard set of data collection methods and tools in all three measurements. These include the standardized national literacy assessments in second and sixth grades, complemented by observational checklists and interviews with participants to collect all the necessary additional data related to each of the performance indicators. The baseline evaluation will measure the following indicators: Result Performance Indicator Standard/ Custom Improved Literacy of School-Age Children (SO1) Percent of students who, by the end of two grades of primary schooling, demonstrate that they can read and understand the meaning of grade level text Standard #1 Improved Attentiveness (IR 1.2) Percent of students in the classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria Custom Improved Student Attendance (IR 1.3) Average student attendance rate in USDA supported classrooms/schools Standard #2 Reduced Health￾Related Absences (Sub￾IR 1.3.2) Percent decrease of students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. Custom Increased Student Enrollment (Sub-IR 1.3.4) Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance Standard #9 The other indicators of the project consider a starting point of zero for the baseline since they will instead be assessed by way of the project interventions (in the final evaluation or annually, see the PMP for more details / Appendix B). CRS will annex its internal COVID-19 guidance to the baseline study ToR (see Appendix C) and request that it be followed by the external evaluator and any third-party data collection firms. In addition, CRS will support remote enumerator training for the baseline study if an international evaluator is selected and is not able to travel to Honduras due to flight or quarantine restrictions. 98 It is also important to consider that some indicators can be measured only if there are in-person classes. These considerations should be taken into account to prepare the plan for capturing this information. Secondary data sources, such as enrollment registers, will also be collected throughout the project. Additional instruments that will be administered are described in the following table. Tool Participant Type Content Overview Quantitative Survey Students Standardized national literacy assessments in second and sixth grades: phonological awareness, phonics, alphabet knowledge, name-writing, narrative language, vocabulary and grammar. School administrators To inquire about specific information on the indicators related to Increased Access to Clean Water and Sanitation Services Members of producer organizations Types of assistance received, production, delivery and distribution costs, value and volume of annual sales of farms, application improved management practices or technologies benefits obtained. Direct observation checklists Students Observations will evaluate the implemented by the project through a checklist emphasizing attentiveness Secondary data SEDUC, SEDIS, SESAL, SAG official documents Secondary data will help to review the departmental, national context in aspects of education, nutrition, school feeding, climate, etc. that help in the analysis of the final evaluation. Special care will be taken with the secondary data, it will be considered if it comes from reliable sources. Qualitative Focus group Members of community groups Capacity strengthening (food handling, nutritional content), timeliness of distribution, organizational strengthening needs, access to food with high nutritional value, challenges for sustainability. School network administrators Challenges for distribution and delivery on time, parent’s participation and organizational strengthening needs, challenges for sustainability. Members of producer organizations What are the farmers’ perceptions of the interventions? What are challenges for production and sustainability? KIIs Representatives of organizations in the intervention area a KII with USDA staff will also be included Will focus on the MGD intervention strategy and its effectiveness in improving education, school feeding and sustainability. the KII for USDA should be done before data collection begins. Participatory Methods: With the use of participatory methods, CRS will inquire the experience of the Key stakeholders involved in the project, generating a creative process of reflection and analysis on the attitudes and practices carried out, promoting critical thinking, tolerant listening, self-awareness, respectful dialogue and debate. A diversity of views will be sought and recognized, including: USDA, SEDUC, SEDIS, SAG, SESAL officers, departmental and municipal offices of education in Intibucá and La Paz, including project staff, school principals, teachers, students, local community leaders, PTA members and parents, key vulnerability groups and private sector businesses involved in the project. Given the ambitious sustainability goals of MGD III, thefocus will be on ensuring stakeholder capacity for analysis and problem-solving through a process that builds commitment to implementing any recommended corrective actions or best practices. 99 CRS will use participatory methods during the Baseline evaluation to: • Validate the objectives of the evaluation, including what will be measured, how and by whom. • Data collection will use community surveys, interviews, group tools (e.g. focus groups, systems mapping, role reversals, feedback sessions) and visual exercises (e.g. Venn diagrams, matrix scoring, timelines). • During data analysis CRS will involve various categories of program stakeholders in the critical analysis of successes and constraints and the formulation of conclusions and lessons learned. In addition, data will be disaggregated by vulnerable groups, gender or other characteristics. • For those groups that cannot participate in data analysis, CRS will share analyzed information and co-define actions to be taken based on findings. Other data collection considerations: limitations associated with the planned methodology Mitigating Measures Data collection errors The consultant Will use digital data collection tools to reduce risk of errors by building in data validation conditions in questionnaires. The consultant will train enumerators on use of the digital tool in addition to questionnaire content prior to use. Beneficiaries do not wish to share information. CRS will ensure enumerators are trained in building rapport (soft skills) in addition to training on digital tool and questionnaire content, including how to obtain informed consent. This will help promote trust between participants and CRS/partners. Limited interactions due to COVID-19 The manual on the protocol for carrying out MEAL activities in the context of the COVID-19 emergency will be shared so that the pertinent recommendations and reduce risk ofCOVID-19 transmission during data collection are followed. To minimize errors in survey data, consultant staff will conduct checks on consistency and effectiveness. Staff will check consistency by downloading and reviewing data entered at the end of each day. Staff will check for coherence of data, unrealistic data, and adherence to validation rules. Staff will check the effectiveness of data collection by randomly selecting a small number of respondents from each enumerator and ensuring that these respondents were actually surveyed. Supervisors will also lead daily debriefs for enumerators to discuss challenges and identify potential solutions. 100 4E. Sampling Strategy A two-stage cluster sampling approach will be used to select respondents for the quantitative surveys (Table 3). In the first stage, schools or producer groups will be randomly selected as clusters and then students, teachers, school feeding committee members, cooks, or producers will be selected at the second stage. Within each school, the school administrator will be interviewed as well. The identified indicators were found to require the largest sample per respondent type, hence not all outcome-level indicators are in the table. Sample sizes were calculated using equations (6), (19) and (22) for clustered continuous, non￾clustered binary and clustered binary outcomes, respectively, in McConnell and Vera-Hernandez (2015), using the standard 80% power and 5% significance level. Table 3 reflects the minimum sample size needed; somewhat larger (5- 10%) samples will be collected in case some data becomes unusable due to error. Some indicators were converted to percentages so that changes in average effects can be detected over the life of the project, but it is worth mentioning that for reporting purposes, MGD standard indicators 4, 19, 6, 20will be reported as numbers (in FAIS and in the baseline report). Given that the average student attendance rate across schools requires a census to measure the 3% change targeted, it is not included in Table 3 and a headcount will be done in all project schools and classrooms at baseline. After baseline, the target and sample size required for this indicator will be revisited: 101 Indicators of interest (Individual/ Cluster) Estimated Baseline LOP Target ICC Cluster * Individual Total sample size MGD 1 Percent of students demonstrating they can read grade level text (Student test/ school) 67.7% 74% 0.131 a 78 * 30 2,340 b students MGD 2 Average student attendance rate (Classroom/school) 68% 83% 0.74 c 110 * 4 440 classrooms Percent of students in the classrooms defined as "very attentive" using a scale that defines established criteria (custom) 70% 85% 0.74 110 * 4 440 d classrooms Percent decrease of students who miss school days due to illness during the last month. (custom) 8.95% 4% 0.74 c 110 * 4 440 e classrooms Project records will be considered for the measurement of the following indicators. MGD 9 Number of students enrolled in schools receiving USDA assistance 100% f School a Value from midterm evaluation of Honduras’ MGD-II. b The finite population correction factor has been applied, as the initial calculated sample size was greater than 5% of 5,900, the anticipated number of enrolled second-graders at baseline. c Value from baseline study of Sierra Leone’s CRS-implemented McGovern-Dole project (Phase 4). Applicable standard deviation was 0.44. d It will be carried out in the same classrooms as indicator MGD 2 e It will be carried out in the same classrooms ase indicator MGD 2 f The most updated registration record will be reviewed according to the project records In addition to quantitative methods to measure progress against indicators, CRS will use complementary qualitative methods, including focus group discussions, interviews, and participatory methods to triangulate data and ensure that all segments of the beneficiary population can provide feedback and input. Qualitative methods Type of stakeholder Details Focus group Members of community groups At least 8 focus groups with leaders of the community groups. Which are representatives of the 4 areas that the department is divided. School network administrators At least 8 focus groups with School network administrators. Which are representatives of the 4 areas that the department is divided. 102 Members of producer organizations 8 focus groups that include leaders of members of producer organizations. KIIs Representatives of organizations in the intervention area At least 15 interviews with key people will be conducted, includes people representing the secretary of education at the departmental level, other projects present in the area, national school feeding program and others that are relevant including the person representing USDA in the country. Limitations and/ or Bias Resulting from the Sampling Methods and Suggestions for Mitigation If the baseline is done during COVID-related school closures, telephone calls can be used at times as an alternative means to collect information; however, this can produce sampling bias (convenience sampling bias) and the possibility of a non-representative sample of community members. It can tend towards those with a phone, those who are more socially connected, and those living in less rural areas where cell phone signal is stronger. Those without cell phones will be more likely to be excluded from the survey. To mitigate this risk, the consultant in coordination with CRS will develop a protocol for making telephone calls where a text messages will be sent prior to the phone call alerting participants and allowing them time to find a reliable signal to receive the call. The messages will be sent at specific hours, and the team will make various attempts to make the phone call in case of low or no connectivity. A replacement list will also be included to substitute those unable to respond; they must be from an area similar to that of the original contact. 5E. Ethical Standards  The consultant is expected to follow American Evaluation Association’s Guiding Principles for Evaluators (http://www.eval.org/p/cm/ld/fid=51).  The consultant should take into consideration the different individuals participating in the evaluation, both adults and children, and specify steps that will be taken to ensure informed consent, confidentiality, and protection of minors. Please refer to Annex G, CRS’ Protection Policy and Guidelines for Interviews, for more information on this topic. 6E. Data Analysis Procedures CRS requires the external consultant to provide support for the following activities: 6E.a. Collect Information: the external consultant will utilize a variety of 103 methods to collect information to measure the indicators according to the project performance monitoring plan: • Quantitative: - Review MGD II Midterm Project evaluation Report (see Annex F), MGD III Plan of Operations and Performance Monitoring Plan to assess progress for results indicators. This analysis will be used to generate points of emphasis for understanding challenges, barriers and successes. These points of emphasis will also be used to construct key actor questionnaires. • Qualitative - Conduct key informant interviews to generate inputs for understanding perceptions of the importance of education and include questions that provide key informant with opportunities to discuss project sustainability. 6E.b. Review of the national academic performance results: the external consultant will coordinate to obtain the results of the national literacy test to measure the appropriate indicators. 6E.c. Create and manage Database: For quantitative tabulation, the consultant should use recognized software such as the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), STATA, or other statistical software package. The analysis of qualitative information must be based on the variability and uniqueness of responses, using software for consolidation of qualitative information (e.g., Atlas Ti). 6E.d. Create Analysis Plan: The consultant will develop and document an analysis plan to calculate the specific required indicators of the project; the analysis of data collected must be completed according to the indicator definitions required in the Project Performance Monitoring Plan, including the relevant disaggregations. IV. EXPECTED PRODUCTS • Design and methodology of the study program approved by the CRS Honduras and support staff at headquarters. Include a data quality assurance plan. • Data collection instruments approved by CRS and Partner Staff. • Work plan with established critical path for the realization of the different activities to be implemented in the baseline. • Provide daily check-ins with appropriate technical project staff at CRS and ASOMAICUPACO regarding methodological issues, results, and troubleshooting for difficulties. • The Consultant will lead a first draft review workshop with CRS and its partners to identify information gaps that have yet to be addressed. The Consultant will be responsible for incorporating all products from the workshop into the final English version. 104 • Draft Report of the results of the baseline in English for it to be reviewed by CRS. Evaluation Report in English, including qualitative and quantitative aspects in hard and electronic color copy delivered to CRS. CRS will be responsible for translating the final approved version into Spanish and deliver one copy to all project stakeholders. Suggested as important elements in the report include the follow sections: − A 2-3 page stand-alone brief describing the evaluation design, key findings and other relevant considerations. This will serve to inform any interested stakeholders of the baseline evaluation, and should be written in language easy to understand by non-evaluators and with appropriate graphics and tables Introduction and Purpose. − Project Context; Project Description; Results Framework − Evaluation Design − Methodology (each design phase detail:) − Sampling methods − Data Collection Methods − Data Analysis Methods − Evaluation Limitations − Analysis of the indicators − Analysis of the project from the perspectives of USDA, CRS, Partners, School Administrators, Teachers, Parents, and Children. − Conclusions and relevant findings (the conclusions from the report should be substantiated by findings consistent with data collected and methodology used and ultimately answer the evaluation questions) − Lessons learned − Recommendations (the recommendations, and that they must be: Specific and actionable, prioritized to the extent possible, include responsibilities and a timeframe for their implementation and consider gender and other intersectional issues, as relevant). − A n n e x e s − Bibliography − Scoreboard with existing situation in the baseline. − Chart calculation of indicators. − Instruments used: surveys, interviews among other formats. − Table of indicator data (including targets and actuals) − Results Framework (if not included in body of text) − Terms of Reference/Statement of Work for the evaluation 105 − Conflict of Interest statements (if needed) − Archive photographs in JPG format with resolution of 300 DPI and description of each photo. − The report should include the analysis of the data collected and use statistical tables, graphs and other graphics to support the analysis, allowing the reader to more thoroughly understand the findings being presented. It is suggested that the content of the report be a maximum of 40 pages (not counting the annexes). • Database of the information collected: entire database, data dictionary, as well as constructs for coding and analysis (the dataset needs to be in a non￾proprietary format /.csv, .xlsx) • The consultant will be responsible for delivering a version of the report that can be posted publicly (with all personally identifiable information (PII) removed or replaced – as well as any proprietary information). Final versions of evaluation reports ready for publication should be accessible to persons with disabilities. For guidance on creating documents accessible to persons with disabilities, please see the following resources: https://www.section508.gov/create/documents; https://www.section508.gov/create/pdfs” Note that using the standard USDA template will help with this. • Dissemination workshop for sharing result with authorities from USDA, CRS, COCEPRADII, Feed the Children, EDC, ASOMAICUPACO, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health. The results will be disseminated after the approval of the report and will be done remotely to include key personnel and representatives of the organizations. • Webinar for CRS education community, to be organized by CRS and presented by the consultant, to share baseline design/methodology, results, and lessons learned. • Report identifying successful experiences for further follow-up and documentation by CRS and Partner Staff. The Consultancy will be for the Baseline, with an offer to conduct the Midterm and Final Evaluation contingent upon performance. Documents and/or any other material produced as a result of this consultancy will be for the exclusive use of USDA and other partner organizations implementing the MGD project. Thetotal or partial reproduction or publication and/or disclosure of any of the documents and other materials produced without the consent of the same is prohibited. The Consultant gives all proprietary rights of these materials exclusively to USDA and CRS on all copyright rightful productions generated by the occasion of the execution of this consultancy. All sets of both quantitative and qualitative data remain the property of CRS and must be presented in formats without prior manipulation to CRS. 106 V. COMMITMENTS A. CRS Honduras and Partner Commitments • Accompany and introduce the Consultant to Education, Community, and Governmental authorities and leaders. • Provide technical and programmatic inputs and project information such as: Project Description, Monitoring Plan and Evaluation Plan, operational plans, previous evaluation report. Additional details will be discussed with the consultant. • Pay in accordance with CRS and USDA policies based upon agreed product costs and schedule as established in the contract with the consultant. • Guide and monitor the timely execution of the Baseline by the Consultant and team. This will include coordinating direct support with the operating field staff. • Approve the different products in the stipulated time, without causing a prolongation of the duration of the contract. • Contract a separate Translation Consultant for translation of Baseline Drafts and Final Reports into Spanish. B. Consultant Commitments • Follow the guidelines set forth in the terms of reference of this consultancy and working arrangements with the MGD Chief of Party. • Inform and act in consensus and coordination with MGD teams: CRS, EDC and ASOMAICUPACO, as well as any local enumerators contracted. • Introduce and implement the weekly work plan and schedule of activities according to the product development schedule. • The lead consultant must ensure their presence in the field, once a week, to ensure and control the quality of products of this consultancy. (This can be discussed depending on the current context due to the COVID-19 situation and any travel restrictions). • Show proof of life insurance for the Consultant and team. • Will cover the cost of salaries of support staff, accommodation, food, transportation, and the costs associated with conducting events for data collection. In addition, the following table includes the roles and responsibilities of the personnel that will be involved in the baseline process: 107 Roles & Responsibilities External Consultants Conduct the project baseline. Organizing the training venue, train field teams on data collection. Carry out participatory planning session and data collection activities. Getting enumerators to the study sites. Developing data collection forms, ensure device availability, Document methodology and baseline data collection processes Country Program MEAL Manager Elaborate the evaluations ToRs and coordinate the development of the project baseline. Also, supervise the external consultant’s work, including the development of evaluation and research tools, the data collection process, information analysis, and report writing. The MEAL Manager is outside the management of the project, this will help to guarantee the evaluation isindependent. Project MEAL Staff (Project MEAL Manager) Support the development of the project baseline. Provide the information required and coordinate the logistics with the partners. (ICT4D Officer and MEAL assistant.) Also, will manage the project’s ICT4D information system, ensuring data quality, collecting evidence and sharing data and information. CRS Partners Provide logistical support and contact key stakeholders to participate in the evaluation process. Chief of Party and Head of Programming Supervises all processes and serves as the official contact with CRS and USDA headquarters. Manages the dissemination of finding to partner and stakeholders, adjust project interventions as necessary according to findings and recommendations. HoP, RTA for MEAL, and HQ MEAL TA for USDA In alignment with CRS’ MEAL Policies and Procedures, other CRS global and regional MEAL staff will provide oversight for the development and review of the terms of reference and reports for the project baseline. This staff is independent from project implementation and works separately from project staff. The HoP will be responsible to ensure the independence and impartiality of the baseline process and reporting. Community involvement Key stakeholders, including national- and local-level SEDUC authorities, school principals, teachers, PTAs and community leaders will be consulted and/or involved in the design, data collection, analysis and distribution of key results. VI.SUPERVISION AND WORKPLACE The consultant will receive technical and supervisory support throughout the processfrom the CRS MEAL team in Honduras, with coordination from local partners and regional Technical support. The Consultant and team will work with CRS and Partners in the areas that the Consultant considers appropriate. However, the Consultant and team will be expected to complement any office time with time in the field working in each of the 19 municipalities of La Paz where the MGD project is being implemented. VII. CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS AND EX RIENCE Professional Profile: Consulting firm with extensive experience in the field of Education or an Individual with a Masters Degree or other advanced degree in Social Sciences and demonstrated experience conducting educational research with a focus on educational outcomes. 108 Experience • Experience in agricultural development project evaluations • At least five years of Supervisory Experience with demonstrated capacity to lead teams in meeting goals and objectives. • Knowledge and experience in survey and sampling design • Experience managing complex and multi-sector evaluations • Knowledge of impact evaluation, especially in the education sector • Knowledge of the education sector, especially basic education in the development context including school feeding programs, particularly in Honduras • Experience in conducting evaluation surveys of a similar nature preferably for McGovern- Dole projects Competencies: • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish. • Knowledge and experience in working with organized community groups. • Ability to work with actors from both the public and private sector. • Ability to work under pressure and meet agreed upon objectives and goals according to stipulated agreements. VIII. CRITERIA FOR TECHNICAL PROPOSALS CRS and its partners will nominate a Review Commission which will evaluate the different proposals based on these terms of reference. The Commission will then submit a recommendation to Human Resources for the consultant who has prepared the most qualified proposal. The criteria are: No CRITERA % 1 Resume/ CV for the institution and proposed consulting personnel 20% 2 Relevant experience in project assessment 20% 3 Technical Proposal 40% 4 Cost Proposal 20% 109 IX.TIMELINE Table. 4 Baseline Activities Date Baseline Study Activities Dec 09, 2021 Publish ToR (Donor approval pending) Jan 03, 2022 Receipt of proposals Feb 08, 2022 Identify external consultant Feb 14, 2022 Award of contract Feb 18, 2022 Work planning Feb 21 – Mar 11, 2022 Conduct study, including stakeholder input Mar 28, 2022 Draft baseline study report submitted to CRS Mar 29 - Apr 01, 2022 Review of CRS Apr 05, 2022 Revised report due from the consultant Apr 11, 2022 Submission of final baseline study report to USDA Apr 29, 2022 Discuss actions to address findings and recommendations with USDA May 10, 2022 Final submission of the referral report to USDA (after addressing any USDA comments). May 15, 2022 Report on implementation of follow-up actions X. CONSULTANCY COSTS The Consultant proposal must include all the details that respond to the terms of reference. The value of the offer must include the professional fees of the consulting firm or individual consultant, all costs of transportation, logistics and field activities including any needed personnel, and any other costs related to the development of an activity of this nature. The total value of the consultancy will be a deduction of 12.5% as income tax, as established by the Act and Procurement Services or any type of taxes applicable according to Country. Consulting payments will be made in accordance with the Implementation Phases and products or agreed deliverables as stipulated in the terms of reference and will be detailed in the contract that is signed between CRS and the selected consultant. Financial proposals will be judged on best value, and these should not exceed $70,000. However, strong proposals beyond these guidelines will still be considered. XI.PRESENTATION OF OFFERS The submission of technical and financial proposals must be submitted in digital form in English to Heidy Garcia heidy.garcia@crs.org no later than January 03, 2022. The technical proposal should address all the 110 above criteria and the financial proposal should include a breakdown of all costs. Annexes: Annex Document Description A MGD Program Results Framework Diagram that gives a snapshot of the objective, results and activities of the project from goal through outputs. B Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) PMP: Table listing objectives, indicators, measurement methods/data sources, frequency of collection, person responsible, means of analysis and use of information. C Internal COVID-19 guidance This guide contains the protocol stipulated by CRS to carry out MEAL actions in the context of COVID 19 D Example preliminary baseline report Details the content that should be included for this type of report. E Indicator Tracking Table Scoreboard with existing comparative situation with the baseline and mid-term indicators. F MGD II Midterm evaluation report and evaluation report Provides the status of performance indicators and contextual information. The Midterm and final evaluation used a non-experimental design based on a pre-post evaluation. G CRS’ Protection Policy and Guidelines for Interviews CRS guide to prevent and minimize any unintended negative effects of interviews, photographs or videos and the resulting exposure which can increase people’s vulnerability to physical, psychological and societal risks. H Evaluation plan This document includes the design of the project evaluation and research processes, it is the guide approved by the donor I USDA M&E Policy, and indicators and definitions and USDA report template These documents include USDA guidelines for conducting monitoring and evaluation processes. J MGD III Baseline report for Intibucá Provides the status of performance indicators and contextual information. The Midterm and final evaluation used a non-experimental design based on a pre-post evaluation. 111 112 IX. BIBLIOGRAPHY Delcid, F., Delcid, L., Barcan, M., Leiva, F., & Barahona, D. (2017). Nutritional status in schoolchildren from first to sixth grade in La Paz, Honduras. Scientific Journal of the University School of Health Sciences, 4(1), 27-33. Hawthorn, I. (2015). Educational inequality in Honduras: a comparative analysis by department and gender. FAO. (2020). Integrated Classification of Food Safety by Phases. Statistics National Institute. (2021). 2014-2030 projections. Retrieved from https://www.ine.gob.hn/V3/ Education secretary. (2017). National Academic Performance Report 2017. Tegucigalpa. National Educational Information System Honduras. (2017). Report on the Honduran Educational System in Figures for the 2014-2016 Academic Period. Retrieved from https://www.se.gob.hn/media/files/articles/USINIEH_Informe_Estadistico_201 4_2016.pdf