Project to Encourage High-Performance Schools

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia has presented for public discussion a draft decision of the Armenian Government regarding the procedure for providing additional funding to educational institutions based on high performance results, as well as support for those showing low performance.

The draft establishes the procedure for granting additional funding to public educational institutions in Armenia to encourage those demonstrating high performance results and to support those with low performance results for progress. By December 30 of each year, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports will approve lists of institutions eligible for financial incentives based on high performance results and those receiving support due to low performance, along with mentor institutions assisting the latter.

The high performance result of an institution is determined according to established evaluation criteria based on competitions organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, while the low performance result is assessed based on effectiveness evaluation criteria of the institution's operations.

A competition commission will be formed to review and evaluate the submitted projects, chaired by the Deputy Minister coordinating the field of general education. The commission will also include representatives from the National Center for Educational Technologies, the National Center for Educational Development and Innovations, the Republican Psychological-Pedagogical Center, the Center for Evaluation and Testing, as well as education sector experts. Decisions will be made by a simple majority of votes.

To determine the performance of institutions demonstrating high achievements, a competition announcement will be posted on the ministry's website each year.

Requirements for institutions with high performance results

Institutions can participate in the competition by presenting an innovative program aimed at their development along with a budget estimate for its implementation for one year. To apply, the institution must meet a series of minimum requirements: at least 50% of teachers have positive results from voluntary certification, at least 20% of teachers have been awarded status, at least 5% of students participated in subject Olympiads at the regional phase in the previous academic year, and at least three applications have been submitted for the “Best of the Month” competition throughout the year.

The determination of high performance results will be based on the analysis of the outcomes of innovative projects submitted by all participating institutions. The financial incentive set for each institution with high performance results, intended for the implementation of the presented development and innovation program, can reach a maximum of 10 million AMD, disbursed in January of the following year. The number of institutions included on the list of those with high performance results cannot exceed 20 each year. A school listed among high-performance institutions cannot apply for the competition for the following three years.

Key components for determining low performance schools

Every year, the Educational Management Information System conducts evaluations of all public educational institutions in three phases. Several key components are considered when evaluating an institution's performance: school management, educational and professional environment, the professional abilities of the teaching staff, students' academic progress and education quality, and the involvement of consultative bodies.

The first phase of the evaluation is carried out based on a self-assessment report formed from data available in the Educational Management Information System. In the selected institutions, an external evaluation is conducted in the second phase by the Center for Evaluation and Testing through student progress tracking or knowledge checks. In the third phase, based on external evaluation results and the assessment scale for low performance schools, a maximum of 30 institutions will be selected by the commission to receive additional funding in support.

Funding for a low-performing institution will be granted based on the financial assessment of an improvement program developed with the support of a mentor school, amounting to 5% of the institution’s annual budget, but no less than 5 million AMD each year. If adopted, the regulation will come into effect in January 2026.

Oversight of the implementation of an institution's innovative or improvement program will be conducted by the authorized body through regular monitoring evaluations.

The discussion of the project will continue on the Unified Platform for Publication of Draft Legal Acts until May 7, 2025, accessible at https://www.e-draft.am/projects/8579.