Planning for Comprehensive School Reform & Improvement through a Needs Assessment Process

1. Planning for Comprehensive School Reform & Improvementthrough a Needs Assessment Process

2. Needs Assessment: An Overview • Improvement framework • What is needs assessment? • key steps in the process and key elements • data • Why do it? • identify appropriate models/interventions • formulate a plan • the added value • Sample discussion topics • Resources

3. The Continuous Improvement Framework Gather school and student-level data, including evaluation results of previous interventions Evaluate results in comparison to school goals and performance targets Analyze data to determine areas for improvement Implement interventions Research and select appropriate interventions/models Identify and prioritize needs Determine/refine school goals, objectives and performance targets

4. What is Needs Assessment? • A needs assessment attempts to answer questions about the social conditions a program is intended to address and the need for the program, or to determine whether a program is needed. • More generally, it may be used to identify, compare, and prioritize needs within and across academic areas and related program areas.

5. Key Steps in the Needs Assessment Process • Convene a diverse school team to analyze data and prioritize needs • Engage diverse stakeholders and communities in conversations to gain varied perspectives on school needs and priorities, school and community-based resources, and required action steps • With diverse school team: • Learn about comprehensive whole school reform models or other interventions and their track records in contexts like yours - find the best match • Reallocate resources and time to fully support your school improvement effort • Develop an implementation plan that integrates the reform components and involves all stakeholders. Rossi et al. (2004)

6. Key Elements of aNeeds Assessment A needs assessment… • Uses school-level and student-level datafrom multiple sources • Provides specific details about school needs and strengths • Prioritizes school needs and assets • Considersresources

7. Different Types of Data Student demographics, mobility, attitudes, behavior Academic performance Curriculum and assessment Classroom management School management Family/community involvement Different Sources of Data Surveys Focus groups School & district records State & local assessments Lesson plans, student work Curriculum & assessment materials Observation reports Documents e.g. faculty & PTO meeting minutes, school plans, budget Data Types and Sources

8. Why do a Needs Assessment? • A needs assessment provides schools with information needed to: • match school needs with potential models/interventions to determine course of action • help formulate your plan • help integrate current initiatives with new initiatives

9. Determine your Course of Action • Consider your school’s needs and strengths • e.g., content area, professional development, target populations, standards alignment, community, language resources • Determine priorities • Consider resources • Research and consider different interventions or reform models • e.g., curriculum, governance, instruction, specific content areas, climate, school structure, etc. • Consider district and state mandates • Consider how a strategy or approach will: • fill identified gaps • complement current successful initiatives • meet the needs of your diverse student populations

10. Formulating your comprehensive school reform & improvement plan… Your plan should specify school and student level: • Goals and objectives • Strategies & action steps • Indicators and benchmarks • Measurement methods

11. Formulating your School Reform PlanAn Example Goal: Where do we want our school to be in 3 years? • We want to create a more positive classroom and school climate where students feel safe and interactions are respectful. We believe this is the foundation needed for a positive learning environment. Objective: What do we want our school to do or provide? • Spend at least two hours each day in the classroom in small group learning activities where students can develop more personalized relationships with teachers who will then provide more positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior. Strategies/Action Steps: What does our school have to do to help students and teachers accomplish this goal? • Provide staff with professional development relating to small group learning and positive reinforcement.

12. Formulating your School Reform PlanAn Example continued… Indicators and Benchmarks: What evidence do we need to demonstrate progress toward our goals? • Teachers will create lesson plans incorporating small group learning activities • Teachers will implement positive reinforcement techniques • All staff will know the names of all students and positive interactions will be observed both inside and outside of the classroom Measurement Methods: How will we gather the evidence needed to demonstrate successful achievement of our goals? • Observations of teachers using small group learning and positive reinforcement • Quarterly surveys of students regarding school climate • Student performance data

13. The Added Value • An inclusive needs assessment provides added-value by: • building full staff and community awareness of school needs and an urgency to change • creating forums for different stakeholders to discuss the issues and reflect upon what needs to be done • fostering a willingness to change by developing staff and community buy-in for your overall whole school improvement and reform effort • providing the structure and baseline data for ongoing evaluation of your school improvement efforts

14. Needs Assessment Tool • Introduction • The Process • How to Use It

15. Sample Discussion Topics • What are two ‘high-priority’ areas for improvement that your school needs to address? Says who? Do you have data that support these perceived needs? • What are two school assets (e.g., current programs that address curriculum or school climate) that you feel should be part of your comprehensive school improvement effort? Says who? • What strategies will you (or have you) used to develop staff buy-in and awareness about your school improvement efforts? (List your strategies).

16. Needs Assessment Resources • The Education Alliance Needs Assessment Tool http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/self_assess.pdf • Systemic Supports for School Reform - Tools for Data Analysis: http://www.csos.jhu.edu/datause/index.htm • Claiming Opportunities: A Handbook for Improving Education for English Language Learners Through Comprehensive School Reform (Chapter 5) http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/claiming_opportunities/index.shtml • Making Good Choices: A Guide for Schools and Districts http://www.ncrel.org/csri/choices/makegood.pdf • Comprehensive School Reform: Research-Based Strategies to Achieve High Standards http://www.wested.org/csrd/guidebook/toc.htm