In the world of global development and education reform, the image of a leader is often that of an academic or executive, presenting findings from a podium or strategizing in a corporate boardroom. It is a world of metrics, policy papers, and high-level negotiations. Yet, in the heart of Mexico, a different kind of leadership story is unfolding—one that challenges these very perceptions. This is the story of Dr. Felipe Hevia de la Jara, a distinguished scholar and the co-director of the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network member organization in Mexico, Medición Independiente de Aprendizajes (MIA) who chose to step out of his formal role and into the boots of a volunteer. He sat through the entire three-day training session, typically reserved for volunteers, and then, leaving his title behind, walked from one household to the next in one rural village, conducting assessments as a regular volunteer. This extraordinary act is a profound embodiment of the very philosophy that drives the PAL Network and its pioneering approach to education. His actions demonstrate a deep, personal commitment to a movement that believes that true and lasting change in education is not a top-down mandate but a grassroots effort, led by the very citizens it seeks to serve. This blog delves into the broader mission of the PAL Network, the innovative design of its International Common Assessments of Numeracy (ICAN) and Reading (ICAR), and the powerful impact of MIA in Mexico. Ultimately, it seeks to reveal how one leader’s selfless dedication on the front line illuminates the core principles of a global movement to ensure that every child’s right to learn is not just a policy goal but a lived reality. The People’s Action for Learning Network: A Global Movement PAL Network is a coalition that stands apart from conventional development initiatives. It is a south-south partnership of 17 organizations working across 15 countries in Africa, the Americas, and South Asia. This designation is critical, as it signifies a network built on mutual exchange and peer learning among nations of the Global South, rather than a top-down, Western-led approach. It operates on the principle that local actors and communities are best equipped to address their own educational challenges. The network is united by a shared purpose: to improve foundational literacy and numeracy for children through Citizen-Led Assessments (CLAs) and Citizen-Led Actions.    The CLA approach emerged in India in 2005 through the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), a response to the quiet yet pervasive global learning crisis. Traditional, school-based assessments often fail to capture a complete picture of learning. They frequently overlook children who are out of school, or those who attend irregularly, and their complex methodologies can produce data that is difficult for communities to understand or act upon. In contrast, CLAs were designed to uncover these hidden learning inequalities and track progress for the most disadvantaged children. They are defined by a set of powerful and inclusive characteristics:  The assessment is conducted through oral, one-on-one administration in children’s households by trained community volunteers. This approach ensures that all children, including those not in school, are included and that any barriers from written tests are removed. The community-driven nature of the program fosters a sense of local ownership and helps identify learning gaps early on.  The network’s mission extends beyond mere data collection to using evidence to inform actions and drive change. The data generated by CLAs is not intended to be a static report; it is a catalyst for change. It is used to generate evidence that can inform policy, influence public discourse, and mobilize citizens and education authorities to implement effective, evidence-based programs.    The Tool of Transformation: Decoding the ICAN-ICAR Assessment To understand Dr. Felipe’s journey, one must first appreciate the tool he was helping to administer: the International Common Assessments of Numeracy (ICAN) and Reading (ICAR).  The ICAN-ICAR tool is a critical initiative spearheaded by the PAL Network with a core mission to combat the global learning crisis by producing globally comparable, yet contextually relevant, data on foundational learning.    The assessments were developed through a collaborative effort among PAL Network member organizations and are designed to align with international standards, including the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.1.1(a) and the Global Proficiency Framework (GPF). This alignment allows countries to track their progress toward ensuring all children achieve at least a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics.  The ICAN-ICAR’s methodology is built on innovation and inclusivity. The assessments are robust and easy to use. They are administered orally and one-on-one by trained volunteers, which ensures that the skills of all children are captured, even those who have not yet learned to read or write fluently. The assessment also features an adaptive design with ‘stop rules,’ which means that if a child gets a certain number of easier questions incorrect, they are not forced to endure the frustration of attempting harder items. Beyond measuring literacy and numeracy competencies, the assessment also collects valuable contextual data on socio-economic indicators at the child, family, and community levels, providing a more holistic picture of the factors influencing a child’s learning journey.  Development of ICAN-ICAR demonstrates the journey of PAL Network that began with country level citizen-led assessments that align with each country context and curriculum yet conforming to the same assessment principles. Network members then began the common assessment journey with a pilot of the ICAN tool in 2019, the PAL the PAL Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PAL-ELANA) in 2022/23, a digitally adaptive assessment, and finally ICAN-ICAR. The common assessment tool allows for generation of evidence that is comparable across multiple countries. The 2025 ICAN-ICAR assessment is being conducted by PAL Network members across 11 countries. In Africa; Kenya (Usawa Agenda), Mali (OMAES), Mozambique (Facilidade ICDS), Senegal (LARTES-IFAN) Tanzania (Uwezo Tanzania), and Uganda (Uwezo Uganda); in Latin America, Mexico (Medición Independiente de Aprendizajes) and Nicaragua (ABACOenRed), and in South Asia, Bangladesh (ASER Bangladesh/IID), Nepal (ASER Nepal/GalliGalli) and Pakistan (ASER Pakistan/ITA). MIA, Mexico: Bringing the Movement Home The story of the PAL Network assessments finds a home in each … Continue reading Leading from the Front: The Story of Felipe and the Foundational Learning Movement