Opportunity (What)

The UEPC Bridgeworks team offers comprehensive needs assessments for schools and districts. This process includes the use of multiple data sources to identify strengths to build on and opportunities for improvement. As part of the comprehensive needs assessment we facilitate a root cause analysis to ensure that the areas identified for improvement address the most important challenges to ensuring all students are achieving at high levels. 

Engage (Structure and Process)

The comprehensive needs assessment includes a 2-3 day on-site visit. The data used for the needs assessment include the following:

• Student outcome data related to performance in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science on district and state assessments, GPA, school grades, attendance, chronic absence, credits received, AP/IB classes, ACT completion and scores, college enrollment, postsecondary mathematics and English courses, and postsecondary GPA.
• Site visit data, including classroom observations, PLC observations, interviews and focus groups with staff, students and parents, and other school documents/records (e.g., meeting minutes, websites, newsletters, professional learning agendas, faculty meeting agendas, etc.).
• Ongoing implementation data including data collected as part of the Annual School Improvement Plans and 90 Day Plans (e.g., implementation of instructional strategies, student engagement, student behavior, etc.)
• Talent development data including statewide and school level data on teacher and principal turnover patterns.

Following the visit, the UEPC prepares a full report and shares the findings with the school leadership team. We conduct a root cause analysis and facilitate a process to identify the priority strategies for improvement moving forward. The UEPC team also facilitates debrief discussions with whole school faculties to foster deeper understanding of the findings and commitment to the improvement plans. 

Transform (Outcomes)

The comprehensive needs assessment and root cause analysis result in the following:

• A comprehensive picture of your school’s current strengths and opportunities for improvement.
• A root cause analysis that identifies the reasons for lack of progress or low performance in the past.
• A set of high leverage, evidence-based strategies that will address the root cause(s) and lead to high levels of student achievement
• A school improvement plan for moving forward that includes specific steps for implementation to ensure success. 

Additional needs assessment tools and services include:

• Collaboration Self-Assessment - An online assessment that is taken by school faculty to rate the effectiveness of collaboration in your school along six domains of collaboration (capacity building, empowerment, intentional, improvement-focused, inquiry-based, and collective responsibility). The UEPC provides a debrief and action planning protocol to use the results to inform ongoing school improvement efforts.
• Readiness for Change Assessment - An assessment tool that helps to answer how ready your organization is to engage in change efforts?. The answers to the questions in this self-assessment provide insights into the ways in which an organization will respond to changes. The Readiness Self-Assessment is organized into six categories (the need for change; appropriateness of change strategies; leadership for change; support and resources for change; history of success in change initiatives; organizational culture and climate during transitions).
• Arts Program Needs Assessment - An assessment tool that helps you identify components of integrated arts education consistent with improving student outcomes.