ESSA 1114(b)(3) states that the plan and its implementation shall be regularly monitored and revised as necessary based on student needs to ensure that all students are provided opportunities to meet North Dakota’s challenging academic standards and ensure continuous improvement. 34 CFR 200.26(c) explains that any revisions to the plan should be based on the results of the evaluation.
A school operating a schoolwide program must:
- Annually evaluate the implementation of, and results achieved by, the schoolwide program plan, using data from North Dakota’s annual assessments and other indicators of academic achievement;
- Determine whether the schoolwide program has been effective in increasing the achievement of students in meeting North Dakota’s academic standards, particularly for those students who had been the furthest from achieving the standards;
- Revise the plan, as necessary, based on the results of the evaluation to ensure continuous improvement of students in the schoolwide program.
Annual Evaluation/Review of the Schoolwide Program
Title I regulations require a school operating a schoolwide program to annually evaluate the implementation of and results achieved by the program. The evaluation must determine whether the program was effective in increasing the achievement of students in meeting the challenging state standards, particularly those students who had been furthest from achieving the standards. The school must revise its plan as necessary based on the results of the evaluation to ensure the continuous improvement of student achievement. The intent of the evaluation is to determine if strategies are contributing to improvement in student achievement or increases in other activities like parent and family engagement or high-quality professional development that led to increases in student achievement.
The school must decide whether the review will be conducted internally (by school staff) or externally (by a person or persons outside of the school such as district staff, regional educational laboratory, institution of higher education, or any technical assistance provider). The decision should be made collaboratively between schools and the districts.
The annual evaluation examines whether the schoolwide program is being effectively implemented and whether the implementation is improving student achievement. The annual review should address not only student achievement but also teacher effectiveness, parent and family engagement, coordination of funds, and other components that directly and indirectly affect achievement. The annual review is designed to reveal areas of strength within the program and areas that need revision in order to better position the school to continue making academic improvement.
Annual Review of the Schoolwide Program and Title I Annual Review
Once written, the schoolwide plan remains in effect as long as the school chooses to be a schoolwide program. However, creators of the original schoolwide plan should acknowledge from the beginning that the schoolwide plan will evolve and grow over time as changes occur inside and outside of the school. A school must review and revise its plan as necessary, evaluating it at least annually to determine whether:
- The academic achievement of all students has improved, particularly of low-achieving students
- The schoolwide goals and objectives contained in the plan were achieved
- The required components are being implemented
- The plan is still appropriate as written
The annual review can serve other valuable purposes. Results can:
- Inform internal program management and help school leaders make informed decisions to improve the quality of their program.
- Answer stakeholder questions and help them better understand how effectively the school is meeting its stated goals.
- Increase the understanding of specific strategies and help the school determine the usefulness of the activities it has undertaken to increase student achievement.
- Promote interest in and support of a program or activity by illustrating certain strategies, their outcomes in terms of improving student achievement, and increasing support for their use.
The purpose of the annual review of the schoolwide program is to ensure that the program described in the schoolwide plan is implemented as designed and that its implementation has a positive effect on student achievement. Thus, the results of the annual review should not be perceived as a sign that the school should start over again with a new plan. Instead, the school should revise its existing plan to incorporate the revisions and reflect a revitalization of the school’s commitment to implementing a schoolwide program that helps all students achieve at high levels.
The annual review is likely to result in modifications that address changing student needs, new instructional approaches, or modifications in standards, assessments, or the accountability system. Once the review is complete, the school must revise its plan, as necessary, based on the results of the evaluation to ensure the continuous improvement of student achievement.
Once updates have been made, a report/notification must be written and available to all stakeholders (staff in the school, parents, and other community members). The report typically includes background information, the evaluation questions, a description of evaluation procedures and how the data was analyzed, findings, and a conclusion with recommendations. This notification can be done in a variety of ways (newsletter, mailing, parent meeting, etc.); however, the method used to notify parents must be documented.