Benchmarking Frameworks for International Schools in the UAE

The UAE School Inspection Framework: An Overview

The UAE School Inspection Framework is designed to ensure that schools meet the United Arab Emirates’ rigorous education standards and promote continuous school improvement. With schools serving a diverse student body, including a high proportion of multilingual learners (MLLs), it’s crucial to adopt assessments that not only track academic performance but also recognize the progress that students are making in acquiring English-language skills.

The benchmarking framework for UAE schools highlights key areas, such as aligning assessments with the national standards, using data-driven insights to guide instruction, and ensuring that MLLs are supported through tailored interventions. The following section lists the essential components of the UAE benchmarking framework and shows how it supports effective school evaluation and improvement:

Key Areas of Focus in the UAE School Inspection Framework

1. Alignment with UAE School Inspection Standards: Schools must ensure that internationally recognized assessments like NWEA MAP Growth, ACER, and CAT4 assessments are aligned with the UAE's inspection criteria, focusing on both student progress and attainment.
2. Inclusion of Diverse Learners: MLLs are a significant part of the student population in the UAE. It’s vital that schools track their language-acquisition progress and academic achievements concurrently.
3. Use of Data to Inform Instruction: Teachers and school leaders need to translate benchmarking data into actionable insights that drive curriculum decisions, instruction, and interventions.
4. Professional Development for Staff: Schools should provide ongoing training for teachers to interpret data effectively, especially when implementing targeted interventions for diverse learners.
5. Reporting to Stakeholders: Sharing data-driven insights with parents, school leaders, and regulatory authorities ensures transparency and continuous improvement aligned with inspection standards.

Using Exact Path to Support UAE Benchmarking Practices

Exact Path plays a critical role in supporting schools to meet the UAE School Inspection Framework’s requirements. Through its adaptive, data-driven features, Exact Path allows for:

• Personalized Learning: Exact Path creates individualized learning pathways for students based on NWEA MAP Growth and other assessments.
• Continuous Progress Tracking: Exact Path’s real-time insights allow educators to track both academic progress and language acquisition for MLLs.
• Targeted Interventions: Teachers can quickly identify gaps in learning and apply targeted interventions, particularly for MLLs who may require additional language support.

UAE School Inspection Framework (SIF) Checklist for Benchmarking

How Exact Path Supports UAE Benchmarking Practices:

• Personalized Learning Pathways: Exact Path enables individualized learning pathways that support students' unique academic needs, ensuring alignment with progress benchmarks and helping MLLs close achievement gaps.
• Real-Time Data Insights: The platform provides continuous progress tracking, which assists teachers in making data-informed decisions and meeting UAE School Inspection Framework standards.
• Targeted Interventions: By using the data from NWEA MAP Growth assessments and Exact Path, educators can deliver targeted interventions, especially for MLLs, helping them progress in both language and academic content.

To continue reading:

• Benchmarking Frameworks for International Schools in the UAE and KSA: A Strategic Approach to Effective Benchmarking: Benchmarking is key to raising education quality in UAE and KSA. This article explores digital tools like Edmentum’s Exact Path for personalized learning and closing achievement gaps.

About the Author

Chassie Selouane, the vice chairperson of the board of governors of Copperstone Education, is an Indigenous American educational disruptor from North Carolina. She has been an educator for 23 years throughout the U.S. and the MENA region. Chassie is the founder/CEO of Appalachian American Academy Morocco, a virtual American curriculum school in Morocco, and principal at MLS Riyadh. She is the chairperson of the steering committee of the GCC ASCD Connected Community and the chairperson of the steering committee of the Education Experts conference series. She is also an advisory council member of AIELOC and a mentor for GLEAC.