Experiences and evidences from chartered school system as a model of change in education
Panel Discussion | Online
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Organized by:
The Akanksha Foundation
About the Event
Through an engaging dialogue with a distinguished panel of experts in the field of education reform, this session will examine the charter school model as a unit of change within the education sector.
Specifically, it will focus on dissecting the foundational principles of a public-private charter school system, its growth potential within the policy landscape, the specific administrative mechanisms, the wholistic approach in defining critical life outcomes and programmatic outputs, and evidences from the granular yet sophisticated data infrastructures (administrative and secondary) that underpin the successful implementation of a charter school systems.
The panel discussion aims to achieve several critical objectives:
1. Diagnosis of the current model of a charter school as a unit of change - Initiating with understanding the foundational principles of a charter school model, and exploring its emerging policy fit in the national and global education policy landscape.
2. Experiences from the administrative practices - a comprehensive analysis of the opportunities and prevailing barriers that impede the implementation of the whole-school approach within a charter school model vis-a-vis public school model.
3. Wholistic approach requirements to measure program outcomes and impact of a charter school model - With a paucity of research evidence for the model, how have the organizations or network of schools used decentralized data to articulate, define and monitor outcomes and impact within the context of charter schools.
4. Complexity of the data and evidence architecture for the model - Drawing insights from currently available impact data or evidences, how have the sophisticated data infrastructures emerged over years that support the effective implementation of a charter school system, and what are the potential next steps to ensure a leaner, agile and meaningful M&E system for a charter school model.
5. Scaling up potential of the model - Distilling the innovative practices that have emerged from within charter school system, and through the robust governmental support for such systems, how can the potential of the charter school model be explored for scale-ups by organizations and network of schools using an evidence-led approach.
Specifically, it will focus on dissecting the foundational principles of a public-private charter school system, its growth potential within the policy landscape, the specific administrative mechanisms, the wholistic approach in defining critical life outcomes and programmatic outputs, and evidences from the granular yet sophisticated data infrastructures (administrative and secondary) that underpin the successful implementation of a charter school systems.
The panel discussion aims to achieve several critical objectives:
1. Diagnosis of the current model of a charter school as a unit of change - Initiating with understanding the foundational principles of a charter school model, and exploring its emerging policy fit in the national and global education policy landscape.
2. Experiences from the administrative practices - a comprehensive analysis of the opportunities and prevailing barriers that impede the implementation of the whole-school approach within a charter school model vis-a-vis public school model.
3. Wholistic approach requirements to measure program outcomes and impact of a charter school model - With a paucity of research evidence for the model, how have the organizations or network of schools used decentralized data to articulate, define and monitor outcomes and impact within the context of charter schools.
4. Complexity of the data and evidence architecture for the model - Drawing insights from currently available impact data or evidences, how have the sophisticated data infrastructures emerged over years that support the effective implementation of a charter school system, and what are the potential next steps to ensure a leaner, agile and meaningful M&E system for a charter school model.
5. Scaling up potential of the model - Distilling the innovative practices that have emerged from within charter school system, and through the robust governmental support for such systems, how can the potential of the charter school model be explored for scale-ups by organizations and network of schools using an evidence-led approach.
Speakers
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Saurabh Taneja: | CEO, The Akanksha Foundation | Saurabh Taneja is the CEO of The Akanksha Foundation, which runs 26 charter schools for 13,000 students in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. Under his leadership, the foundation has expanded its reach through public-private partnerships, impacting 190 public schools. An Akanksha school recently ranked among the top three globally for community collaboration. Previously, he was the leader at Acharya Vinoba Bhave School and has worked with Bodh Shiksha Samiti, UNICEF, and the Government of Rajasthan. He is an IIT Delhi graduate and a founding member of Teach for India. |
| Soumya Jain | CEO, iTeach | Soumya Jain, CEO of iTeach Schools, oversees 11 secondary schools in Pune and Mumbai, dedicated to delivering quality education to underprivileged students. With a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University, his career shift from engineering to education highlights his passion for social impact. Jain’s expertise in charter school models and his commitment to educational equity make him a key player in educational reform. He serves on several advisory boards, including Teach For India, and advocates for innovative educational approaches. |
| Dr. Monica Jain | Lead Evaluation Specialist at International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) | Dr. Monica Jain is an experienced development sector professional with over 20 years in research, specializing in health, nutrition, and poverty. As the Lead Evaluation Specialist at the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), she manages projects evaluating the effectiveness of health interventions and educational programs across multiple countries. Monica has previously held roles at the International Food Policy Research Institute and the World Bank, focusing on food security and poverty reduction. She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Riverside. |
| Shekhar Singh | Commissioner, PCMC | Mr. Shekhar Singh is a distinguished civil servant and an alumnus of IIT Guwahati, where he earned his B.Tech in Civil Engineering. He furthered his education with an M.Tech in Structural Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. After completing his studies, he successfully cleared the Union Public Service Commission exams in 2011, joining the Indian Administrative Service. Mr. Singh served as the Satara district collector from March 2020 to July 2022, leading numerous initiatives to improve local governance and infrastructure during his tenure. In July 2022, he was transferred to a new assignment, continuing his commitment to public service and development in India. |