The Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in Inclusive Education Policy (MESIEP) activity focuses on the general topic of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of inclusive education. It looks at existing M&E systems and their role in inclusive education policy development.

This activity is one of six within EASNIE’s Thematic Country Cluster Activities (TCCA). Each activity involves collaboration between a small group, or cluster, of EASNIE member countries. MESIEP is Cluster 2. TCCA focuses on member countries’ priorities and addresses country requests for more tailored activities to support policy development needs and build upon learning points from other EASNIE activities. The clusters aim to support countries in their efforts to promote continuous improvement for all stakeholders across the whole inclusive education system. For more information, visit the TCCA web area.

Activity framework

The EASNIE Key Principles and TCCA Literature Review highlight the relevance of M&E. MESIEP focuses on M&E of three overlapping but distinct concepts in education: equity, inclusion and diversity.

Equity aims to eliminate disparities in learner outcomes and performance regardless of personal and social circumstances. Inclusion broadens the scope by examining how learners feel at school, their well-being outcomes and their socio-emotional development. M&E of inclusion in education focuses on outcomes, inputs and processes. Diversity focuses on the learner population and their different circumstances. Learner diversity can be monitored but not evaluated. However, policies and practices to address diversity to increase equity and inclusion can be evaluated.

Phase 1 of MESIEP (2024) focused on M&E of inclusion and equity at policy level, aiming for a better understanding of the cluster countries’ policies and practices. This allowed for reflection on how M&E processes can inform and serve policy-makers and policy development.

During phase 2 (2025), the countries continued to explore the topic of M&E of inclusive education at school level, focusing on external and internal school evaluation policies and practices.

Participants and target group

The MESIEP cluster countries are Croatia, Ireland, Malta, Serbia and United Kingdom (England). Representatives from these countries are the main MESIEP participants. During both phases of the activity, various other stakeholders participated in the MESIEP activities. These included school staff, learners, school inspectors and representatives from ombudsperson offices, national bodies and unions.

The target group includes policy-makers from EASNIE member countries.

Aims

MESIEP focuses on how M&E contributes to policy development. Four main questions guided phase 1:

  • What are the relevant policies or frameworks related to M&E of equity and inclusion and monitoring diversity in countries?
  • What data on diversity and equity is collected in countries?
  • What are the processes and mechanisms of data collection on diversity and equity?
  • How do M&E of equity and inclusion and monitoring of diversity serve policy development in countries?

Phase 1 aimed to clarify and specify the cluster countries’ different expectations. It looked into the countries’ different policies, practices and programmes, aiming to offer insight into each country’s realities, strengths and challenges.

Phase 2 was guided by the following main questions: 

  • Are schools obliged to perform self-evaluation and how often are self-evaluations conducted?
  • Are there frameworks and standards according to which self-evaluation should be performed?
  • Which areas are covered by this type of evaluation and who is involved in it?
  • Are school evaluations supported and co-ordinated? By whom?
  • How are results from school self-evaluation used to initiate improvements at the specific school level and policy improvements at the national level?
  • Are results from school self-evaluation combined with other types of evaluation such as inspection results?

Phase 2 addressed M&E of inclusive education implementation at school level. It focused on internal evaluation, school accountability and school self-evaluation processes and practices.

Activities and outputs

Phase 1 activities

Thematic cluster meetings

Two thematic cluster meetings took place in spring 2024. The purpose was for each cluster country to exchange on relevant policies, practices and procedures related to M&E of inclusive education at policy level.

The first meeting focused on M&E related to equity and inclusion under the authority of the ministry of education. The second focused on cross-sectoral departments, bodies, agencies or institutions external to the ministry of education.

Peer-learning activity

A peer-learning activity (PLA) was held in Dublin, Ireland, in autumn 2024. It aimed to look at inspection processes for inclusive education in the Irish context and included a visit to a recently inspected school. Participants had the opportunity meet staff members, leaders and learners from the school. The PLA discussions led to the question of which groups of professionals (such as teaching assistants) are involved in inspection processes, and what their roles are in these processes. For more information, see the PLA news item.

Phase 2 activities

Thematic cluster meeting

An online thematic cluster meeting took place in spring 2025. Each cluster country shared and exchanged information about the policies and practices of school evaluations and self-evaluations in their national systems.

Peer-learning activities

In phase 2, two PLAs were planned. The first was held in Zagreb, Croatia, in spring 2024. It examined the institutions outside countries’ ministries of education that are responsible for monitoring and evaluating inclusive education and explored self-evaluation processes at school level. Representatives from four Croatian ombudsperson offices and two civil society organisations presented their policies and practices and their active involvement in inclusive education. The PLA also included a visit to a local primary school, where staff and the school leader presented the school’s self-evaluation processes. The news item about the PLA in Zagreb contains more information.

The third PLA in the MESIEP activity will take place in London in autumn 2025. This PLA will focus on the new inspection framework in England, and will include a school visit.

Outputs

Planned outputs include:

country cluster activity
data collection
policy analysis
policy implementation

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