Scaling Every Child Counts: Driving Learning Across India Through Knowledge Network Catalysts

In November 2023, J-PAL South Asia launched its inaugural NGO certification course for the Every Child Counts program to explore new pathways to scale to foster partnerships with civil society organizations and establish champions aligned on the vision of scaling evidence-based curricula for improving learning outcomes. As a part of the first cohort of the certification course, J-PAL South Asia has engaged with three organizations [TiTLi from Jharkhand, Centre for Learning Resources from Uttar Pradesh, and Key Education Foundation from Karnataka to pilot the program in thirty government schools and Aganwadi classrooms. 

Ahona Krishna, head of early childhood care, development, and education programmes at the Center for Learning Resources shared,

“...the J-PAL manual for Every Child Counts provided us with a detailed guide…The practice cards were incredibly helpful for demonstrating [the games] to the Anganwadi workers, who then used them with the kids. The videos helped explain the games…”

Each geography has provided a unique understanding of potential pathways to scale the program through partnerships with civil society organizations and establishing champions aligned with the vision of scaling evidence-based curricula for improving learning outcomes.

J-PAL South Asia is excited to share these learnings through a detailed report that explains the context of developing the certificate course, the activities undertaken during the first cohort, and the specific insights derived from the three organizations' implementation pilots.

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“Every Child Counts” When Improving Quality Of Learning

The focus of the education sector shifted to improving the quality of learning, particularly in foundational skills, as the goal of universal primary education was nearly achieved in 2015. Despite this increased access to education, a significant number of students in developing countries, including India, still struggle with basic competencies in math and reading. 

To address these gaps, J-PAL South Asia decided to scale the Every Child Counts program in 2020, targeting foundational math skills to promote equitable, high-quality learning outcomes for all. 

Every Child Counts is an evidence-based early years program that provides young students with the right stimulus to translate their innate understanding of mathematics into formal symbolic applications of mathematics in school. It includes four games—two focused on geometric abilities and spatial understanding, and two on enhancing number sense. It has been rigorously evaluated through three randomized evaluations (RCTs) in Delhi (2013–2019) in collaboration with Pratham Education Foundation and piloted across five Indian states between 2019 and 2023 in pre-primary and Grade 1 government school classrooms.

Going Broad And Deep With The Ecosystem

Since the evaluation, J-PAL South Asia has been collaborating with policymakers across states and NGO partners to scale the Every Child Counts program. Key pilots in Tamil Nadu (2019-20) and Maharashtra (2022) informed curriculum integration and highlighted challenges like time and material management, leading to improvements in alignment with Grade 1 curricula. Ongoing efforts in Andhra Pradesh aim to integrate the program into 2,000 schools by 2025-26. However, the scaling process has been limited to a few organizations, underscoring the need for broader engagement. 

To address this, J-PAL South Asia is now catalyzing the local knowledge networks of implementing organizations to adopt and integrate the curriculum into their programs to enhance scalability and impact. Supported by USAID-DIV and ASPIRE, this approach leverages aligned civil society organizations to implement and innovate foundational math programs. Insights from this model will be meticulously documented to inform the science of scaling, focusing on context, implementation fidelity, and sustainability, thereby enhancing the scalability of Every Child Counts and providing a framework for scaling other evidence-based initiatives.

Getting Champions Of Scaling Impact Ready! 

J-PAL South Asia conducted a comprehensive analysis of over thirty NGOs to identify suitable partners for scaling the Every Child Counts program. Key criteria included experience in early childhood care and education (ECCE), operational scale, geographical reach, alignment with the program's objectives, and collaboration with government systems. Based on this landscaping and the organization’s interest, three organizations—TiTLi, Centre for Learning Resources, and Key Education Foundation—were selected for their expertise and strategic fit to support this pathway. A five-day in-person training was held in Delhi, where practical sessions allowed organizations to develop integration plans for introducing the program into their existing curricula, and conduct a pilot while receiving regular feedback.

The participants shared that

“The team…were all so welcoming and open-minded in terms of introducing the math games and providing space for discussion…all participant voices were consciously sought and included right through…”  and “...[the] training was indeed a wonderful and enriching experience. [I am] looking forward to implementing it in our respective geographies and learn[ing] more…such insightful trainings in future…”.

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In 2023-24, these organizations selected ten schools or Anganwadis from each geography to pilot the program. They initiated an eight-week pilot in thirty classrooms, which included planning and training their field teams and teachers on implementing the program and finally supporting its implementation. This pilot concluded in early May 2024, along with J-PAL South Asia’s process monitoring.

Unlocking New Pathways For Scale

During the 2023-2024 academic year, J-PAL South Asia conducted process monitoring to evaluate the fidelity of the Every Child Counts program when implemented by partner organizations trained by J-PAL South Asia. The observations highlighted strong teacher interest in the math curriculum and positive student engagement. This approach successfully increased awareness of the program and shared insights on evidence and scaling efforts with grassroots organizations.

While reflecting on the overall implementation, the team at TiTLi shared that:

“The teachers (in Jharkhand) were excited about the games as the games were something different (than the curriculum)” and that “the students were able to play some of the games independently”.

The Karnataka pilot successfully demonstrated the program’s feasibility in kindergarten classrooms with only minor adjustments. Meanwhile, the pilots in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand revealed an opportunity to adapt the curriculum for Anganwadi settings, taking into account the complex and competing responsibilities of Anganwadi workers, such as health monitoring, nutrition distribution, and early childhood care. J-PAL South Asia is committed to tailoring the program to these contexts, enabling smoother implementation and transformative impact.

This model of engaging with the knowledge networks within the ecosystem is a new component of J-PAL South Asia's scale-up strategy, and its ongoing implementation will provide valuable insights to refine the approach to scaling evidence-based programs, particularly in a low-touch framework.