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F OSTERING E VIDENCE - BASED C ULTURES IN K-12 S CHOOLS : G ATHERING D ATA FROM AN O NLINE A PPLICATION S YSTEM Dr. Mary E. Yakimowski Ms. Sarah D. Newton University of Connecticut Transition to the Connecticut State Standards and System of Assessments Third Annual Connecticut Assessment Crown Plaza, Cromwell Rocky Hill, CT August, 2012 HTTP :// WWW. EDUCATION. UCONN. EDU / ASSESSMENT / PowerPoint available at: HTTP :// WWW. EDUCATION. UCONN. EDU / ASSESSMENT /

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S ESSION D ESCRIPTION The University of Connecticuts Neag School of Education is well-known for a culture in evidence-based decisions leading to continuous improvement (Freed & Huba, 2000; Neag Assessment Committee, 2012; Yakimowski & Coleman, 2009). Among the tools that are used is an on-line application system, which affords the opportunity to efficiently gather data from different stakeholders. Then, the information is analyzed and multi-angulated to make changes so that courses, programs, departments, or the school can improve. As school district personnel are aware, grade K-12 institutions need data to inform for evidenced-based decisions as well. Personnel need information from students, parents, alumni, staff, and community members. In this interactive session, presenters will share and discuss the Neag Schools use of an online application system as generalized to a K-12 setting. For example, presenters will facilitate discussions about accessing and using an on-line application system to gather data on such things as students feelings about the school climate, alumnis opinions regarding about the strengths and areas for improvement regarding their high school education, teachers professional development needs, and parents perceptions of strengths and areas for improvement with regard to transportation and other issues. Additionally, the presenters will discuss item format, electronic dissemination, and reporting functions.

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O VERVIEW Purpose Comparisons (K-12 with HE) Planning Stages Identifying Stakeholders Specifying Information Needed Merging Stakeholders with Information Needed Selecting Tool to Acquire Information (Evidence) If selecting online application system General Examples Specific Examples Process Group Activities

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P URPOSE School Improvement Continuous Improvement Response to Intervention Assessment Evidence-based Culture

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C OMPARISONS Similarities and Differences Stakeholders Policy Makers Accreditation Agencies Employers Formal/informal decisions Committee Structures Incorporation of Good Data

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C YCLE OF C ONTINUOUS I MPROVEMENT

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N EAG S CHOOL OF E DUCATION

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N EAG S CHOOL OF E DUCATION A SSESSMENT P LAN

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A SSESSMENT P LAN

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O VERVIEW Purpose Comparisons (K-12 with HE) Planning Stages Identifying Stakeholders Specifying Information Needed Merging Stakeholders with Information Needed Selecting Tool to Acquire Information (Evidence) If selecting online application system General Examples Specific Examples Process Group Activities

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P LANNING S TAGES : I DENTIFYING S TAKEHOLDERS Students Staff Teachers Administrators Board of Education Community Members CSDE (maybe)

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P LANNING S TAGES : S PECIFYING I NFO N EEDED Professional Development School Climate Parent Interest Teacher Evaluation/Assessment Employer Survey Alumni Opinions Transportation Issues

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P LANNING S TAGES : M ERGING S TAKEHOLDERS WITH I NFO N EEDED Stakeholders: Students Staff Teachers Administrators Board of Education Community Members Information Needed: Professional Development School Climate

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P LANNING S TAGES : M ERGING S TAKEHOLDERS WITH I NFO N EEDED Stakeholders: Students Staff Teachers Administrators Board of Education Community Members Information Needed: Professional Development School Climate

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P LANNING S TAGES : S ELECTING A T OOL B ASED U PON I NFO N EEDED Existing Data Acquiring New Data

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O NLINE A PPLICATION S YSTEM

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O NLINE A PPLICATION D ESIGN (I TEM = Q UESTION )

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A PPLICATION W RITING T IPS

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I TEM O PTIONS

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R ADIO B UTTONS List horizontal or vertical - from which one option may be selected Examples from the Professional Development Evaluation:

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D ROP D OWN L ISTS A drop down menu from which one option can be selected Example from the School Climate Questionnaire:

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C HECKBOXES List from which multiple options can be selected. Examples from the Parent Education Interest Inventory:

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R ATING S CALES Radio button scale consisting of consecutively-numbered options Example from the Employee Survey:

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M ATRICES A grid of questions Examples from the High School Climate Survey:

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O PEN -E NDED S INGLE -L INE T EXT Free-form text with formatting rules Examples from the Parent Education Interest Inventory:

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O PEN -E NDED M ULTI -L INE T EXT Free-form text in a box with a specified number of rows and columns Examples from the Elementary School Climate Survey:

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S ELECTING O NLINE S YSTEM : P ROCESS Invitation to Participate with Cover Letter Purpose Why THEY are asked for info Anonymous, confidential, aggregate info Timeline

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Invitation to Participate Example:

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Cover Letter Example:

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School Climate Questionnaire Example

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APPLICATION EXAMPLE Parent Education Interest Inventory Invitation to Participate

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Parent Education Interest Inventory Cover Letter APPLICATION EXAMPLE

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Parent Education Interest Inventory Invitation Letter APPLICATION EXAMPLE

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Parent Education Interest Inventory Invitation Letter APPLICATION EXAMPLE

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Parent Education Interest Inventory Invitation Letter APPLICATION EXAMPLE

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Parent Education Interest Inventory Invitation Letter APPLICATION EXAMPLE

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E XAMPLES Elementary School Climate Survey http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/esclimate2012.aspx http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/esclimate2012.aspx Employee Survey http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/employee2012.aspx High School Climate Survey http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/hsclimate2012.aspx http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/hsclimate2012.aspx Parent Education Interest Inventory http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/parentinterest2012.aspx http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/parentinterest2012.aspx Professional Development Evaluation http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/profdev2012.aspx http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/profdev2012.aspx School Climate Questionnaire http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/climate2012.aspx http://uconn.checkboxonline.com/climate2012.aspx

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R EPORT E XAMPLES Pie charts Bar graphs Tables Qualitative responses

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CHECKBOX LIVE DEMO

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Degree/CertificationCount Perce nt Bachelor's 7310.3 Master's43160.5 6th Year Certificate 11215.7 Doctorate 9613.5 Total: 712100.0

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Code: 1: Very unsatisfied; 3: Neither satisfied nor unsatisfied; 5: Very satisfied

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EXAMPLES AND LIVE DEMO AN OFFER TO YOU Dr. Mary E. Yakimowski mary.yakimowski@uconn.edu 860-486-2848 mary.yakimowski@uconn.edu Ms. Sarah D. Newton University of Connecticut