nclb cna manual

7/29/2019 Nclb Cna Manual

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No Child Left Behind Program Series

Comprehensive NeedsAssessment

NCLB


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NCLB Comprehensive Needs Assessment |

Texas Education Agency No Child Left Behind Program Series

People without inormation cannot act. People with inormation cannothelp but act. Ken Blanchard

State and ederal law both outline the requirement or schools to conduct a comprehensive

needs assessment (CNA) as part o the planning and decision-making process. exas

Education Code (EC) Sections 11.252(a)(1-2) and 11.253 related to campus planning state

that the plan must include provisions or a comprehensive needs assessment addressing

student perormance on the student achievementindicators, and other appropriate measures

o perormanceCampus-level committees must assess the academic achievement or each

student in the school using the student achievementindicator system.

Likewise, No Child Le Behind (NCLB) Public Law 107-110, Section 1114 (b) (1) (A)

requires that a itle I schoolwide program include a comprehensive needs assessment

o the entire school, including the needs o migrant students, based on inormation that

includes how students are meeting the states challenging academic content and achievement

standards. For targeted assistance programs, Section 1115 (A) and (B) states that a school

operating a targeted assistance program may only use itle I unds or programs that

provide services to eligible children and denes eligible children as those identied by the

school as ailing, or most at risk o ailing, to meet the states challenging student academic

achievement standards on the basis o multiple, educationally related, objective criteria

established by the local educational agency and supplemented by the school, except thatchildren rom preschool through grade 2 shall be selected solely on the basis o such criteria

as teacher judgment, interviews with parents, and developmentally appropriate measures.

Tereore, in a targeted assistance school, the needs assessment process is also critical to

determine, based on data, which students are most in need o itle I services and the types

o services which will provide the greatest impact. Te process must be objective and include

multiple measures to identiy students most in need and establish a priority list or services.

argeted assistance schools are also expected to be able to document the student selection

process and evaluate student progress as part o the needs assessment or the subsequent

year.

Tus, the purpose o a CNA is to examine multiple sources o data to identiy the priorityneeds and direction or the school. Tis critical process is the prework to the development

o the district and campus improvement plans and decisions regarding the justication

or use o NCLB and other unds. Te data helps schools monitor and assess the impact o

programs, instruction, and other resources related to student achievement by developing a

school prole. When conducted thoroughly, the CNA tool provides schools with identied

strengths and weaknesses and species priorities or addressing student achievement and

meeting challenging academic and perormance standards. Conducting a CNA is a process,

No Child Let Behind ComprehensiveNeeds Assessment


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2 | NCLB Comprehensive Needs Assessment

No Child Left Behind Program Series Texas Education Agency

not an event. While there may be specic times during the school year when targeted data

analysis occurs, the data collection and analysis process is ongoing to ensure that progress

toward the schools objectives, goals, mission and vision are being realized.

Tis NCLB CNA tool ocuses on several areas:

demographics; studentachievement;

schoolcultureandclimate;

staquality,recruitmentandretention;

curriculum,instructionandassessment;

familyandcommunityinvolvement;

schoolorganization;and

technology.

o acilitate the process and ensure buy-in rom stakeholders, it is recommended that thedistrict/schoolorganizeallstaandotherpotentialmembersintocommittees,eachfocused

on gathering data or their assigned category area. Te committees ideally are comprised

o members that are required under NCLB to carry out the campus plan: parents and other

members o the community, teachers, principals, administrators (including administrators

o NCLB programs), and i appropriate, pupil services personnel, technical assistance

providers,schoolsta,andiftheplanrelatestoasecondaryschool,studentsfromsuch

a school.

Data analysis should not be just about gathering data. It is very easy toget analysis paralysis by spending time pulling data together and notspending time using the data. Victoria L. Bernhardt

Te committees determine which data should be collected to provide the most inormation

regarding the strengths and needs o the district/school. Te team must be purposeul about

gathering sufcient key data sources to assess the strengths and needs o the system without

gathering so much data that it becomes difcult to acilitate the process. Inormed decisions

and decision-making regarding the school prole are, thereore, based on data, rather than

assumptions or perceptions.

Te school prole begins with collecting baseline inormation (or comparison data when

baseline data already exists) so the committees can identiy "statements o need" or each

respective area. Te data is easier to interpret and analyze when it is presented in varied

ormats, including graphs, charts, tables, and other user-riendly versions. Data should be

disaggregated based on applicable groups, and may be examined longitudinally (across

multiple years), by grade levels, classrooms, or schools to identiy patterns, trends, strengths,


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and needs. Once the data is reviewed by each committee, members may determine whether

additional data should be collected and analyzed. Varied sources and types o inormation

rom each area will yield the most accurate assessment o the needs. By using multiple data

sources to compare the data, priority needs should emerge to support inormed decisions

or continuous improvement, the development o the district/campus improvement plan,

and justiy decisions regarding how NCLB unds will be used to ensure that all students

meet challenging academic and perormance standards.

A Checklist or Creating a School Prole Decide what you want to measure and report.

Determine who will be responsible or organizing, developing, and updating

the prole.

Develop a management system or collecting and organizing the data in the prole.

Be selective about the type and amount o data to collect.

ake a baseline assessment o the data available in each area o ocus.

Determine any additional inormation that is needed and the procedures or

collecting it.

Writeanarrativetosupportthestorythedatapresent;usevariedformatsfor

illustrating the narrative with charts, graphs, and tables.

Source: Victoria L. Bernhardt


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Comprehensive Needs Assessment Process

Step 1: Review the purpose and outcomes or conducting the CNA.Whatdowewanttoaccomplishwiththisprocess?

Howwillweensurethatitsaprocess,notanevent?

Howwillwegetmultiplestakeholdersinvolvedintheprocess?

Howwillwesharethepurposeandoutcomeswiththoseinvolved?

Whataretheshort-andlong-termtimelines?

A 5-Step ProcessTe NCLB CNA includes this 5-step processwhich ultimately links the CNA to the review

and development o the district and campus improvement plans. Provide copies o this CNA

booklet to each committee member to ensure they have a ull picture o the CNA process.

Step 3Determine which

types o data

will be collected

and analyzed by

committee to

develop the school

profle.Step 2Establish committees

or each area o the

CNA.

Step 5Connect the CNA to

the district/campus

improvement plan

development and

review process.

Step 4

Determine areaso priority and

summarize needs.

Step 1Review the purpose

and outcomes or

conducting the CNA.


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Step 2: Establish committees or each area o the CNA. (Areas: Demographic, student achievement, etc.)

Isthereacommitteeorteamwithexpertiseinanyoftheareas?

Ifnot,whichstamemberswillmakethegreatestimpactonthecommitteeorteam?

Howwillteammembersberecruited,selected,andpotentiallyreplaced?

Howdoweensurethereisdiversityoneachteamtochallengeassumptionsandstretchthegroup?

Whichteammemberisbestsuitedtoleadandfacilitateindividualteams?Howdowe

ensure that the team member is skilled in group acilitation, consensus building, leading

conversationsregardingdata/analysis,collaboration,andothers?

Howwillcoordinationamongcommitteesoccur?

Step 3: Determine which types o data will be collected and analyzed by the committee to developthe school profle.

Whatdatawillwecollect?

Doesthedataneedtobereorganizedincharts,graphs,tables,etc.,tofacilitateanalysis?

Dodatacollectiontoolsneedtobedeveloped?

HowdoweensurethatcertaintypesofdataarekeptcondentialandFERPAis

notviolated?

Howdoweensurethatcommitteesfollowtheprocessandrefrainfromidentifyingsolutions?

Step 4: Determine areas o priority and summarize needs.

Whatarethestrengthsandneedsofourdistrict/schoolanditsrepresentativegroups?Whatevidencesupportsthestrengthsandneeds?

Whatarethepriorities?

Whatarewelearningaboutourdistrict/school,andwhatconnectionsarewemaking?

Step 5: Connect the CNA to the district/campus improvement plan development and review process.

WhatarethendingsintheCNA?

Howarethendingsreectedinsummarystatements?

HowaretheCNAstrengthsaddressedinthedistrict/campusimprovementplansasstrat-egiesandactivitieswhichwillbecontinuedandsustainedtobuildonthesestrengths?

HowaretheCNAneedsaddressedinthedistrict/campusimprovementplansthrough

strategiesandactivitiesdesignedtoimprovestudentoutcomes?

HowdoprioritiesandneedscorrelatewithjusticationsforNCLBprogramexpenditures?


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Probing QuestionsEach area o the CNA tool is noted below, along with probing questions to acilitate

dialogueaboutthedata;determinestrengthsandneeds;anddeveloppriorityandsummary

statements or each area. Tere may be other critical district-and campus-specic questions

whicharenotreectedbelow.Committeemembersmaygeneratealistofadditionalquestions based on what do we want to know, why do we want to know and what data

dowehaveorneedtoaddressthequestions?

We want to gather and analyze data that will help us understand the system that

produces the results we are getting. We also want to move our district continuous

improvement eorts rom random acts o improvement to ocused improvement that

centers on our ultimate purposeimproving learning or all students.

Victoria Bernhardt


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Demographics

Demographic data are very important or us to understand as they are part o our

educational system over which we have no control, but rom which we can observe

trends and learn or purposes o prediction and planning. Victoria Bernhardt

1.Whatdoenrollmentnumbersindicate?

2.Whatisthebreakdownbyethnicity,gender,orothercategory?

3.Howhastheenrollmentchangedoverthepastthreeyears?

4.Whatisthenumberofstudentsineachspecialprogram?Howdotheseprogram

numberslookbrokenupbyethnicity,gender,orothercategory?Areweover-or

underrepresentedincertaingroups?Why?

5.Whatisthedataforspecialprogramsovertime?

6.Whatdoesthedatareectregardingstudentswhoexitfromspecialprograms?

Howmany?Whoarethey?Whattrendorpatterndowesee?

7.Whoareourat-riskstudents?Whatistheirat-riskcategory?

8.WhoareourMigrantstudents?

9.Whatisthemobilityrateforthiscampus?Whatisthestabilityrate?Howarethese

numbersrepresentedforMigrantstudents?

10.Whatareaofthecommunitydothesestudentscomefrom?

11.Whatarethestademographics?

12.Whataretheteacher/studentratios?Howdotheseratioscomparetoperformance?


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Student Achievement

We want to gather and analyze data that will help us understand the system that

produces the results we are getting. We also want to move our district continuous

improvement eorts rom random acts o improvement to ocused improvement thatcenters on our ultimate purposeimproving learning or all students.

Victoria Bernhardt

1.Howisstudentachievementdatadisaggregated?

2.Howdoesstudentachievementdatacomparefromonedatasourcetoanother?

3. What does the data indicate when disaggregated by ethnicity, gender, socioeconomicstatus,specialprogram,orothercategory?

4.Inwhichareasareweshowinggrowth?Atwhatrate?Comparedtowhichstandard

ofachievement?

5.Whichstudentsaremakingprogress?Why?

6.Whatimpactareinterventionprogramshavingonstudentachievement?Whichstudents

arebenetingornot?Why?

7.Whatdoesthelongitudinalstudentachievementdataindicate?

8.Whatdoesthedatareectwithinandamongcontentareas?

9.Whatdoesthedateindicatewhendisaggregatedatvariouslevelsofdepth?

10.Whichstudentsaremakingannualprogress?Whichonesaremakingprojectedgrowth?Whoarethesestudents?Howdoesthisdatacompareacrossprograms,contentareas,

subgroups,etc.?


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School Culture and Climate

Culture is the underground stream o norms, values, belies, traditions, and rituals

that builds up over time as people work together, solve problems, and conront

challenges. Tis set o inormal expectations and values shapes how people think,eel, and act in schools. Author Unknown

1.Howdostudentsdescribetheschoolclimate?Howdoesthiscomparetosta?

2.Whatevidenceistherethatstudentsandstaarecollectivelyalignedwiththevision

andmissionoftheschool?

3. Howdostudentsandstadescribeattitudes,respect,relationships,belonging,support,etc.?

Howdoesthisdatacompareacrossgroups?Whichgroupsrespondinwhichmanner?

4.Whatdoesthedatareectregardingstudentbehaviors,discipline,etc.?

5.Towhatdegreedostudentsandstafeelphysicallysafe?

6.Whatdostudentsandstaindicateaboutexpectations:academic,behavioral,social,

extracurricular,etc.?

7.Whichstudentsaremostsatisedwiththeschoolscultureandclimate?Howdoesthiscomparetothestudentsattendance,tardies,andotherbehaviors?

8.Whatdoesthedataindicateregardingclassroommanagementandorganization?

Howdoesthiscomparetoclassroomstudentachievementdata?

9.Whatdoesthedatareectregardinggang,substanceabuse,weapons,andothersafe

schoolsareas?Whoarethestudentsinvolved?Whatdoweknowaboutthesestudents?

Whatserviceshavethesestudentsreceived?

10.Whatstudentsareinvolvedinextracurricularactivities,clubs,andotherareas?Who

arethesestudents?Whatdoesstudentachievementreectaboutthesestudentsversus

otherswhoarenotinvolved?

11.Whatarethestudentsandstasperceptionsoffacilitiesandthephysical

environments?Whatistheimpactofthefacilitiesoncultureandclimate?


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Sta Quality, Recruitment and Retention(Note confdentiality requirements regarding specifc teacher appraisal and observation data)

An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill,

desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collectiveorganizational success. Stephen Covey

1.Whataretheteacherqualications,certications,etc.?Paraprofessionals?

2.Whatdoesthegeneraldatareectregardingteacherqualityonthecampus?

3.Howarefollow-updataregardingteacherperformanceprovidedtoteachers?

4.Howarewerecruitinghighlyqualiedandeectivesta?

5.Whatisourstaattendancerate?Retentionrate?Turnoverrate?

6.Howishighlyeectivestaassignedtoworkwiththehighestneedstudents?

7.Whatistheimpact/eectofourteachermentorprogram?

8.Howisnewstasupported?Whatfeedbackdotheyprovide?

9. What systems are in place to build capacity and support the notion o continuous

improvement?

10.Howareweusingdatatodetermineprofessionaldevelopmentforsta?

11.Howarecollectiveandindividualdecisionsregardingprofessionaldevelopment

determined?

12.Whattypesofprofessionaldevelopmenthasstaattended?Howisimplementation

monitored?Whatimpacthasithadonperformance?Whatisthefollow-up?


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NCLB Comprehensive Needs Assessment | 1


Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Tere are three kinds o curricula; they must be considered together and improved

together: written curriculum, taught curriculum, and tested curriculum.

Fenwick English

1. What evidence exists to determine that the curriculum is clearly linked to the EKS

andotherstandardsforstudentlearning?

2.Howisdatausedtoinformcurriculum,instruction,andassessmentdecisions?

3.Whatdoesthedatareectabouthowcurriculum,instruction,andassessmentare

aligned?Howaretheyfocusedonsupportingandchallengingallstudents?

4.Howarecurriculum,instruction,andassessmentalignedwith21stCentury

LearningSkills?

5. What evidence is there that there is a process or monitoring, evaluating and

renewingthecurriculumtomeettheneedsofalllearners?

6.Howareinstructionalstrategiesandactivitiesalignedwithstudentlearningneeds

andexpectedoutcomesforachievement?Howconsistentisthisacrossthedistrict/

school?Whatistheimpactonspecicstudentgroups?

7. What evidence supports the implementation o high impact/high yield additional

interventionsforstudentswhoneedassistancebeyondprimaryclassroominstruction?

Whichstudentsneedthistypeofinstruction?Whathastheeectbeenovertime?

8.Howdoesinstructionaldesignanddeliverymaximizestudentengagement,apositive

learningclimate,higherorderthinkingskills,problemsolving,criticalthinking,etc.?

9. Is there evidence that assessments are aligned with clearly specied and appropriate

achievementexpectations?Howaretheydevelopedandlinkedtomeasuretheeect

ofcurriculumandinstruction?

10.Howdoweknowassessmentsaredesigned,developed,andusedinafairandequitable

mannerthateliminatesbiases?Howdostudentsperceivetheseassessments?

11.Howdoesthescopeofassessmentsprovideacomprehensiveandrepresentativesam-

plingofstudentperformancethatallowsforcondentconclusionsaboutachievement?


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Family and Community Involvement

Te amily is changing, not disappearing. We have to broaden our understanding o

it, look or the new metaphors. Mary Catherine Bateson

1. What evidence exists that amilies and community members are involved in meaningul

activitiesthatsupportstudentslearning?Whataretheactivities?Whichparents

andcommunitymembersareinvolved?Whattrendsandpatternsdoweobserve?

2. Howarefamiliesandthecommunitymembersinvolvedinschooldecisions?

3. What types o services are available to support amilies, community members, and

studentstoencouragehealthyfamilyrelationships?

4. IffamiliesspeaklanguagesotherthanEnglish,whataretheselanguages?Howdoes

theschoolcommunicateinthoselanguages?

5. Whattypesofservicesareavailabletosupportstudentsinspecialprograms?

Whataretheresults?

6. Whattypesofcommunitypartnershipsexisttosupportfamiliesandstudents?


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School Context and Organization

Create the kind o climate in your organization where personal growth is expected,

recognized and rewarded. Author Unknown

1. Towhatdegreedoesthedistrict/schoolsupporttheorganizationandhow?

2. Whatdoesthedatareectaboutclasses,schedules,andstudent/stateams?

3. Howisadequatetimedevotedtosubjectsinwhichstudentsperformpoorly?

4. Howdoteachershaveavoiceindecisionmakingandschoolpolicies?

5. What role do teachers have in deciding what assessments will be used to evaluate

individualstudentsortheprogramasawhole?

6. Do school committees and decision making bodies make it easy or teachers, parents,

paraprofessionals,supportsta,andstudentstobeheardand,inturn,forallgroups

tobepartofsolutionstoidentiedproblems?

7. Whatarethestudents,parentsandcommunityperceptionsoftheschool?

8. Whatdoschoolexpectationsreveal?


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Technology

Te traditional way we do school will change as students have more access to the

world around them. I we are producing globally competitive students, we have to

adapt to the world they will encounter. Superintendent

1. Whattechnologydowehave?

2. Whatisthetechnologyprociencyforstaandstudents?

3. Howdoesstafeelabouttechnology?

4. Whataresomebarriersthatpotentiallypreventeectiveuseoftechnology?Whenitsworking,whyisthatso?Whenitsnotworking,whynot?

5. Whattypesoftechnologyprofessionaldevelopmenthaveweprovided?Whatwasthe

impactforstaandstudents?

6. Inwhichcontentareasareweusingtechnologyandhow?Whatistheeect?

7. Howdoesthedesignofthenetworkprovidefortheusersitsupports?

8. Howistechnologyutilizedtosupportcurriculum,instruction,andassessmentintegra-

tionandimplementation?


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Committee Sel-Assessment/Refection

CNAcommitteemembersusethisdocumenttoreectontheprocess.

Date: _______________________________

1. GiventhegoalsandoutcomesoftheCNAprocess,whatwasmostbenecialandwhy?

2. Whatmightweimproveandhow?

3. Howisourorganizationbetterasaresultofthisprocess?

Committee Area:

Demographics

Student Achievement

School Culture and Climate

StaQuality,Recruitment,andRetention

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Family and Community Involvement

School Context and Organization

echnology

Name Signature Position


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N Child L ft B hi d P S i T Ed ti A

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