APR Improvement Plans

April 2014

Lindsey McDonnellDirector of Certification Curriculum

National Association for Athletics Compliance

What to Expect• Improvement Plan

Requirements• Best Practices• Resources

New or Revised Improvement Plan Requirements:

• Broad-based participation• Institutional approval• Analysis of Data• THE PLAN

Approval

Participa-tion

Plan

Analysis

Broad based participation

Significant input from appropriate institutional constituent groups both inside and outside

of athletics.

Participation: APR Improvement Plan Team

Primary Contact

Lead for tracking implementation

4-6 Others

4-6 Others

4-6 Others

4-6 Others

4-6 Others

Improvement Plan Team

Department of Athletics• Director of Academic

Support• Director of Compliance• Head Coach• Athletics Administrator• Sport Supervisor• Life skills coordinator

Outside of Athletics• FAR• Academic Administrator• Faculty Athletics Council

Member• Admissions Officer• Financial Aid Administrator• Enrollment Management

Administrator• Registrar• Academic Advisor

Institutional approval

Required:Chancellor / President

Pick Two:

ProvostDirector of Athletics

Faculty Athletics RepresentativeHead Coach

Compliance DirectorDirector of Academic Support

Analysis of Data

Institutions must provide a meaningful analysis of the team(s)'s most current APR data.

Entering SA

ProfilesAccount

for all Lost

Points

Reasons for Lost

“E”

Reasons for Lost

“R”

Patterns/ Trends

Analysis of Data: Organize your info

1. Organize Your Data

This is the form provided by the NCAA

Analysis of Data: Organize your info

2. Rely on Input from Individuals Outside of Athletics

• Are these numbers accurate?

• What trends/patterns do they see?

• Do they have additional data that will assist you?

• What issues do they identify? (this will come again later)

• Is there additional data available to clarify these issues?

Analysis of Data: Organize your info

3. Save and Review ALL Documents, Charts & Spreadsheets

1/5/2

002

1/7/2

002

1/9/2

0020

20

40

Analysis of Data: Identify the IssuesWhat questions would you ask your team questions about the following? What issues may be identified?

Eligibility Retention

Mitigating Factors

Multiyear APR Academic Record of the Team

0/2

Elements of the APR Improvement plan• Plan Activity/Assessment• Timely Development of Plan• Identify the Issues• Program Areas• Specific and Measurable Goals• Steps to Achieve Goals• Responsible Individuals• Timeline to Complete Initiatives and Meet Goals• Target APR Chart

Issue Program Area

Team Initiative/ Measurable

Goal

Step Steps Individuals/Officers

Responsible for Implementation

Specific Timetable for Completing

the Work

Timely Development of Plan

• Implement immediately• APR Improvement Plan must be developed in

time for it to be effective for the current academic year

• Work with the NCAA staff

Identification of Issues

Institutions must identify critical issues currently impacting the team(s) APR based on the

analysis of the team(s)'s APR data.

Example: Excessive missed classes and poor class attendance by student-athletes.

Program Areas

• Academic support• Missed class time• Recruitment of PSAs• Student-athlete

development

• Retention• Post Eligibility programs• Monitoring progress

toward graduation• Admission of PSAs

Issue: Excessive missed classes and poor class attendance by student-athletes.

What Program Area?:

Specific and Measurable Goals

• One issue may lead to multiple goals. • Identify at least one goal per issue.

S pecificM easurableA chievableR ealisticT imely

Specific and Measurable Goals

Issue: Excessive missed classes and poor class attendance by student-athletes.

Goals: (1)Monitor class attendance.

(2)Reduce number of excused class absences due to team travel.

Steps to Achieve Goals

Goal: (1) Monitor class attendanceSteps:• (Weekly, Monthly) class checks will be conducted by the (academic advisor,

member of the coaching staff, compliance officer).• (Coaches, Sport Administrators) will receive (daily, weekly, monthly) attendance

reports.• Professors will be requested to complete attendance reports (weekly, monthly).• A class attendance policy will be included in grant-in-aid, which states: "Lack of

class attendance without extenuating circumstance may be cause for the discontinuation of athletics aid."

• Use attendance policy during the academic year which conditions practice and competition opportunities on class attendance. Implement a penalty structure for "repeat offenders."

Issue: Excessive missed classes and poor class attendance by student-athletes

Steps to Achieve Goals

Goal: (2) Reduce number of excused class absences due to team travel.Steps:• Determine which contests are within (50, 75, 100) miles of campus.• Adjust schedules so that no class time is missed for away from home contests

within (50, 75, 100) miles of campus.• Have (FAR, Sport Administrator) approve travel schedule at the start of each

semester.

Issue: Excessive missed classes and poor class attendance by student-athletes

Responsible Individuals

• At least one staff member is assigned to each step• Use positions not names• Include individuals outside athletics

Step:(Weekly, Monthly) class checks will be implemented for student-athletes.

Class time missed due to team travel will be reduced by adjusting schedules so that no class time is missed for away from home contests within (50, 75, 100) miles from campus.

Responsible Individual:Academic Support Staff, Coaching Staff, Eligibility Coordinator

Faculty Athletics Representative, Head Coach, Sport Administrator

Timeline and Target APR Chart• The goals can be immediate or in future years– Must be reasonable timeframe

• Each goal must have a timeline for completion– Be realistic– Completing early is fine– Completing late is NOT fine

• Target APR chart same as above– Be realistic– Scoring higher than anticipated is fine– Scoring lower than anticipated is NOT fine

Plan Activity and Assessment

• Dynamic document• Conduct regular assessment• Review critical issues • Review measurable goals• Review steps

Points to Remember

• Coach Involvement and Accountability is critical• Develop a clear definition of “at-risk” student-

athlete for use with you improvement plan• Diversify staff responsibility for implementation• Conduct a thorough data analysis• Timeline• Plan for the future

To Learn More About:Improvement Plan Requirement:http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2013-14%2BAPR%2BImp%2BPlan%2BRequirements.pdf

Establishing Goals:http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Establishing%2BMeasurable%2BGoals.pdf

Common Eligibility and Retention Issues:http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Addressing%2Bthe%2BMost%2BCommon%2BEligibility%2Band%2BRetention%2BIssues.pdf

Identifying the Issues:http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Analysis%2Bof%2BAPR%2BData%2B-%2BIdentify%2Bthe%2BIssues.pdf

Data Analysis Worksheet:http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/APP%2BData%2BAnalysis.pdf

Best Practices:http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/APR%2BImprovement%2BPlan%2BBest%2BPractices%2Bwith%2BAttachments.pdf

Technical instructions:http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/2012-13%2BWeb-Based%2BInstitutional%2BManual.pdf

Have a question for me? Email: NAACcertification@nacda.com