Sustainability of an Educational Intervention Program “The New Educational Environment”

This study examined the sustainability of the New Educational Environment (NEE) program, an experimental program to advance students at risk of dropping out, that was implemented in five comprehensive high schools in Beer Sheva. The program was developed by JDC-Israel and is being implemented by the Ministry of Education Shachar Division, JDC-Israel and Ashalim. The program has now been disseminated to some 100 schools in Israel. An earlier report presented findings regarding the program’s implementation and the positive outcomes for students and teachers. This report summarizes the findings of a study of the extent of sustainability of the program two years after JDC-Israel, the external agency responsible for implementing the program in its initial stages, completed its role.

The term “sustainability” refers to the extent to which the changes created during the program’s initial implementation are maintained even after the external intervention phase has been completed, so that the program has a long-term impact. This requires not only that the program succeeds in introducing change, but also that it integrates the change into the organization’s activity so that the new work methods become an integral part of its routine operation.

The findings show that the program acquired a permanent and recognized status in four out of the five schools that were studied. At the same time, it was found that significant changes took place in various aspects of the program over time as a result of the efforts of the municipal NEE program development staff to adapt the program to the changing reality in the schools and in the overall educational system.

The study identified factors that affected the level of institutionalization, including:

  •  The program’s “maturity”, i.e., the level of implementation achieved by the external intervention and how ell the staff have been prepared to work independently
  •  Leadership of the program coordinator in the school
  •  Support of the school’s administration and allocation of resources to fund the program
  •  Degree of compatibility between the program’s goals and the main goals of the educational system
  •  Support of and advice to the school’s staff by professionals from outside the school – especially regarding adaptation of the program to changing realities in the school and in the educational system.

Some of these factors are directly related to the program, or to what takes place in the school in which the program is implemented, while others stem from changes in the general educational system.

Today many efforts are being invested in the development of educational programs that will improve school functioning, with the hope that this improvement will be long-term. It can be assumed that many of the factors found to be significant regarding the institutionalization of the NEE program, will have relevance regarding the institutionalization of other innovations in education.

The study’s findings were presented to professionals and policymakers in the education system and JDC-Israel and have been used to formulate policy regarding ways to strengthen the NEE program in the schools and disseminate it further.

The study was initiated by JDC-Israel and funded with its assistance.