Strengthening Capacity of the Middle Tier Cadre for Teacher Coaching and Mentoring – A Study in Sehore Block, Madhya Pradesh, India (2026)

Scope of Work for External Agency Hiring

Organization Overview

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read develops children’s foundational literacy skills, as well as life skills that promote gender equality. As a leading implementer, Room to Read nurtures these essential skills in children by training and coaching educators, creating quality learning materials and spaces, and strengthening education systems – all while honoring the dignity of every child. We develop and deliver evidence-based materials and approaches directly and with partners. We are a valuable partner of choice for government, other system and program partners as well as investors focused on education. Committed to accelerating learning outcomes for more children, more quickly, Room to Read has benefited children across 29 countries, with more than 17 million children actively benefiting from our programming in 2025 alone. By the end of 2027, we aim to double the number of children and communities we support each year. Room to Read envisions a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality, where all children have room to read, learn and grow. Visit us at www.roomtoread.org.

Room to Read India was established in 2003 and has benefited more than 20 million children. It is currently working directly with 12 state governments (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi NCR, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh) to support young children unlock their full potential through education.

Teacher Coaching Experiment Model Overview

Supported by Jacobs Foundation, the teacher coaching experiment model in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh builds on Room to Read’s high-touch implementation (2022-2024) model. While engagement continues at the district level, the current experiment model is in the Sehore block of the district. The model is grounded in the hypothesis that strengthening the capacities of Cluster Academic Coordinators (CACs) as instructional coaches, particularly in (a) classroom observation, (b) data-driven decision-making, (c) mentoring practices, and (d) facilitation of quality review meetings, will lead to more effective teacher support. As frontline academic mentors embedded within the government system, CACs are well-positioned to influence classroom practices. Hence, strengthening their role is expected to reinforce academic support structures, improve teaching practices, effective material usage, and ultimately contribute to better student learning outcomes.

In addition to building capacities of CACs, the experiment seeks to enhance the role of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) officials (also identified as Head Coaches), in leading continuous professional development and academic support. CACs serve as the primary instructional coaches, supported by Room to Read Program Associate (PA). The facilitator works closely with DIET to co-design training modules, deliver quarterly training sessions, and provide ongoing mentoring support. DIET officials also participate in joint school visits and review meetings, reinforcing coaching practices and strengthening the academic support structure at the cluster level. Table 1 below outlines the key activities undertaken as part of the experiment.  

The experiment is implemented across 16 clusters within Sehore block. Each CAC supports around 10–15 schools and their associated schools and teachers. Overall, Sehore block comprises 358 schools, 28 CACs, and about 370 teachers. Additionally, through this experiment 6 DIET faculties are identified as Head Coaches, who in turn supports CACs.

Study Design

This section presents the study objectives, methodology, sampling, and study tools to be used to carry out the study.

Study Objectives

The scale study aims to assess the implementation fidelity and effectiveness of the teacher coaching experiment model in Sehore block. The specific objectives of the study are: 

1. Implementation Fidelity: To assess the extent to which coaching and mentoring activities are implemented as designed across the selected block.
2. Teaching Practices and Instructional Quality: To examine how participation in coaching and mentoring influence teachers’ classroom practices and instructional quality.
3. Stakeholders’ Perspectives: To understand the experiences of teachers and coaches with coaching and mentoring activities, including the perceived benefits and challenges with the coaching and mentoring activities.

HOW TO APPLY 

Proposals are invited from the interested agency for the above assignment and the last date for receiving the proposal is 15^th June 2026 at procurement.india@roomtoread.org  [do not copy anyone from RtR] 

Kindly submit two separate emails with the following subject lines:  

o EMAIL (1): TECHNICAL PROPOSAL – TCM Study, Sehore (MP) 2026

o EMAIL (2): FINANCIAL PROPOSAL – TCM Study, Sehore (MP) 2026

Submission terms:  

• All agencies are advised to thoroughly review the SoW ToR before applying. 

• Technical and Financial proposals are to be shared in two different emails separately and not in a single email (mandatory) 

• Incomplete applications or deviations from the prescribed process will result in automatic rejection.      

• Proposals received after the prescribed deadline will not be considered.  

• Only shortlisted agencies will be contacted and may be requested for face-to-face/online interaction/presentation.  

For queries, please contact: 

Vinod Kandwal

Vinod.Kandwal@roomtoread.org  

To download the full SoW, click here: RFP: Hiring Agency for Teacher Coaching and Mentoring Study, Sehore, MP