Basic Education Coalition

TO PROMOTE EXPANDED, EQUITABLE ACCESS TO QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION SO THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE CHANCE TO LEARN.

GOAL 1SECURE FUNDING FOR BILATERAL BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS: ON DECEMBER 23, 2022, CONGRESS APPROPRIATED $970 MILLION FOR BASIC EDUCATION IN THE CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2023, $277 MILLION ABOVE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S REQUEST. THE ACT INCLUDES $130 MILLION FOR THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION (GPE) AND $30 MILLION FOR EDUCATION CANNOT WAIT (ECW). IT ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT $150 MILLION BE ALLOCATED FOR GIRLS EDUCATION IN AREAS OF CONFLICT. THE TOPLINE NUMBER FOR BASIC EDUCATION ($970 MILLION) IS A $20 MILLION INCREASE OVER FISCAL YEAR 2022 ENACTED LEVELS. GPE AND ECW BOTH RECEIVED INCREASES OF $5 MILLION. BEC WAS HAPPY TO SEE ITS ADVOCACY EFFORTS RESULT IN THIS INCREASE, DURING A TIME OF MANY COMPETING PRIORITIES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.GOAL 2THROUGHOUT THE SECOND AND INTO THE THIRD YEAR THAT THE WORLD GRAPPLED WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BEC SUCCESSFULLY ENCOURAGED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION. BEC CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR KEY LEGISLATION, INCLUDING THE READ ACT REAUTHORIZATION ACT, THE GLOBAL LEARNING LOSS ASSESSMENT ACT, AND THE KEEPING GIRLS IN SCHOOL ACT. FINALLY, BEC PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE CONSULTATIONS WITH USAID STAFF ON POLICY AND GUIDANCE RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL BASIC EDUCATION.GOAL 3ADVANCE THE EVIDENCE ABOUT WHAT WORKS BEC ADVANCED THE EVIDENCE ABOUT WHAT WORKS BY IDENTIFYING TECHNICAL GAPS AND PUBLICIZING NEW RESEARCH AND IDEAS TO KEY DECISION-MAKERS. SOME ILLUSTRATIVE (NON-EXHAUSTIVE) EXAMPLES INCLUDE: REGULARLY HOLDING TECHNICAL EXCHANGES IN ITS WORKING GROUPS; PROVIDING SUBSTANTIAL INPUT ON USAID'S UPDATE TO THE USG STRATEGY ON INTERNATIONAL BASIC EDUCATION; HOSTING THE LAUNCH OF USAID'S PRE-PRIMARY GUIDANCE; SUPPORTING BEC MEMBER CIES COLLABORATIONS; AND DISSEMINATING BEC-PRODUCED AND BEC-MEMBER-PRODUCED RESOURCES AND BEST PRACTICES VIA NEWSLETTERS, MEETINGS, AND WEBINARS.GOAL 4MAINTAIN AN ORGANIZATION POSITIONED FOR LEADERSHIP BEC REMAINED POSITIONED FOR LEADERSHIP BY MAINTAINING FINANCIAL SECURITY (ADDING FIVE NEW MEMBERS IN 2022), EMPOWERING BEC MEMBERS AS LEADERS AND ADVOCATES (VIA CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, CONSULTATIONS, WORKING GROUP EXCHANGES, AND ADVOCACY), STRENGTHENING STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS (E.G. DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATIONS AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY, LINKING COMMUNICATIONS CONTENT WITH BEC'S ADVOCACY AGENDA, ETC.), AND CONTINUING TO FOSTER STRONG PARTNERSHIPS (E.G. THE GRN, USAID, UNICEF, GCE, USGLC, AND OTHERS).