The Reading for Ethiopia’s Achievement Developed Monitoring and Evaluation (READ M&E) project was a 5- year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported activity implemented by American Institutes for Research (AIR). READ M&E was one of four READ projects on early grade reading launched by USAID Ethiopia. READ M&E focuses on monitoring and evaluating early grade reading as well as on the M&E needs of the overall USAID READ program. The project works closely in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education (MoE) and the National Educational Assessment and Examinations Agency (NEAEA). The project also works in collaboration with Regional State Education Bureaus (RSEBs) and City Administration Education Bureaus (CAEBs).

READ M&E was designed to foster effective use of assessment tools, testing methodology, and the data they generate, to improve early-grade reading and writing, and ultimately student learning. In implementing the project, AIR monitored and evaluated early grade reading fluency and comprehension, and provided overall monitoring and evaluation support to the USAID on their suite of reading programs in Ethiopia. They also provided monitoring and evaluation information and capacity building to the Ethiopian Ministry of Education and other local government stakeholders.

READ M&E has three objectives:

1. Monitor the implementation of the three other READ activities.
2. Administer Early Grade Reading Assessments (EGRAs) and other assessment tools to measure student learning outcomes (2016 and 2018).
3. Build the capacity of the Ministry of Education in EGRA and in national learning assessments administration and analysis.