Internal and external evaluations

Internal assessment

Reykjavík City's Department of Education & Youth emphasizes systematic internal assessment at all workplaces. This assessment is an integral part of school and recreational activities. It involves professional reflection and data analysis to assess the quality of education and whether intended results have been achieved based on predetermined criteria.

External evaluation

External parties conduct external assessments to evaluate school and recreational activities based on specific criteria.

The Ministry of Education and Children is developing a new approach to assessment and monitoring of schooling. This includes new criteria for internal and external assessment of preschools and primary schools, as well as defining the role of municipalities. New criteria are expected to be posted on the Consultation Portal in fall 2024, with review and development of procedures happening concurrently.

Preschool: External evaluation

In fall 2024, the Ministry of Education and Children began work on developing criteria for internal and external assessment in preschools and planning consultation with municipalities on external assessment implementation.

External assessment reports for preschools from 2014-2023, based on Reykjavík City's 2014 → menntastefna.is/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/1_vidmid_og_visbendingar_2_prentun.pdfcriteria , are available here, along with improvement plans and related documents. The Department of Education & Youth and the Directorate of Education conducted external assessments of preschools.

Primary school: External evaluation

In fall 2024, the Ministry of Education and Children began work on developing criteria for internal and external assessment in primary schools and planning consultation with municipalities on external assessment implementation.

External assessment reports by the Department of Education & Youth for primary schools from 2007-2013 and 2014-2019 are available here, along with improvement plans and related documents.

The Directorate of Education has revised quality criteria for primary schools several times since 2018. The most recent revision was in November 2022, considering the Act on the Integration of Services in the Interest of Children's Prosperity and Reykjavík City's Education Policy 2030, → mms.is/sites/mms.is/files/endurskodun_vidmida_25_november_2022.pdf3rd edition.

Recreational activities: External evaluation

External evaluation of recreational activities began in the fall of 2014. By January 2020, at least one after-school program and one youth center in each city district had been evaluated, totaling 10 after-school programs (including 3 run by primary schools) and 5 youth centers.

Reykjavík City published → reykjavik.is/sites/default/files/ymis_skjol/skjol_utgefid_efni/vidmid_-_mat_i_fristundastarfi_0.pdfbenchmarks and quality indicators for recreational activities in 2015. The Ministry of Education and Culture has also released → www.stjornarradid.is/library/01--Frettatengt---myndir-og-skrar/MRN/%C3%9Eemahefti_fr%C3%ADstundaheimili_lokagerd_vefbirting_april%202021.pdfthematic guides for after-school programs, outlining their → www.stjornarradid.is/library/01--Frettatengt---myndir-og-skrar/MRN/Veggspjald%20%C3%A1%20%C3%ADslensku%20um%20markmi%C3%B0%20og%20vi%C3%B0mi%C3%B0%20%C3%AD%20starfi%20fr%C3%ADstundaheimila.pdfroles and providing → menntastefna.is/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Sjalfsmatstaeki-fyrir-fristundaheimili_april-2021_leidbeiningar-MRN.pdfself-assessment tools for evaluating recreational activity programs.

External assessment reports by the Department of Education & Youth for after-school programs and youth centers from 2014-2020 are available here, along with improvement plans and related documents.