Monitor, Support, and Evaluate programs

The video above gives a brief overview of the supports on this page and the requirements to evaluate programs.  ​

MDE Program Evaluation Tool (PET)

All buildings and districts are required to submit a Program Evaluation Tool of a program, strategy, or initiative using the approved MDE Program Evaluation Tool (PET) each year.  The Program Evaluation is due on June 30.  
The evaluation of state and federal funded programs is both a state and federal requirement.  The state requires buildings and districts each submit a program evaluation in ASSIST.  Other programs would likely benefit from a more efficient process utilizing the compact evaluation and matrix.  ​

Four Ideas for Getting Started with Evaluation: 

1.  Ensure that all strategies in the SIP have activities (adult actions and behaviors) to support consistent implementation, ongoing monitoring, and useful evaluation.  The "SI Goal Components: Definitions and Guidance" document provides example activities for getting ready, implementing, and monitoring/evaluating.  Use this as a reference for reviewing the activities for each research-based strategy. (PDF or Word Document)
2.  Use the Program Evaluation Tool in its reverse form as a "Planning Tool" was actually the original intent of the language.  This document uses exactly the same guiding questions as the Program Evaluation Tool, but considers readiness and implementation aspects in preparation for monitoring and evaluation activities.  Use the questions to identify activities needed to implement  strategies in the  plan.  (PDF or Word Document) 
3.  Program Evaluation fits extremely well into our school improvement process, simply look at the five BIG questions in the approved MDE tool:  Gather/Study data (Q#4-5), next Plan and Implement (Q#1-4), then Monitor/Eval (Q#4-5).  In order to introduce these questions and the process embedded into School Improvement, try following this protocol that embeds the next three tools listed below:
4.  Using the questions to guide discussions provides an introduction to the tool in a low-risk environment and models the evaluation process.  A Compact Program Evaluation Tool (or Word Doc) has been developed for this purpose and may be used to meet the requirement to evaluate all strategies in the SIP and all programs that use state or federal funds (Title II, Title I-A, Section 31a, Title III, etc.)

District Collaboration on Program Evaluation

Several districts are working to evaluate a common initiative across the district, however, each building will have certain differences that need to be articulated in the tool.  Therefore, one LEA who was willing to share created this Google Doc that allows them to complete portions as a District Admin Team and portions with their School Improvement Teams.  Basically, the selection of initiatives and Q1 - Q3 are completed this fall with commonalities across the district.  Q4 and Q5 require individual responses for each building (NOTE: The Google Doc follows the ASSIST Template by arranging the tool such as Q5, Q1-Q4)

MVU Online Support Module

In addition to the SI Tutorial, MVU has now released a blended online learning experience for groups of educators around the MDE requirement for Program Evaluation.  Estimated Time is approximately one hour provided ample discussion from the participants.  Simply click the directions below and follow the steps to access the module.
The Program Eval Module with provide you with instructions and discussion questions/journal entries (PDF).  Plus there are two videos to watch during the process, both screen shots and transcripts are located here (Podcast 1 and Podcast 2).

Use of Local and State Data

In addition to using State data, MDE recommends using Local data you have available to inform your Program Evaluation.  The image on the right will enlarge when selected. It contains the official recommendation from MDE from the May 7, 2015 "Spotlight."
Above: The entire document (Prog Eval or Planning Tool) is represented as a Wordle .