System & Needs Assessment

About System & Needs Assessment

A Critical Friend

CEC’s System Assessment program aims to serve as a “critical friend” to describe and reflect where the School or District is right now on a continuous improvement journey. This program focuses on three key areas: Student Learning, Collaboration, and Results. The assessment involves an in-depth analysis of the district or school’s current operating state and a comparison with research-based effective practices.

The assessment does not rank the school or district as successful or unsuccessful.

The Process

• Review of current policies, processes, implementation of, and support for the focus areas of learning, collaboration, and results. Each targeted area of focus is designed as an asset-based process ensuring voice and representation as key drivers for the recommended next steps.
• The CEC audit team interviews stakeholders and reviews evidence to validate the school’s or district’s self-assessment, focus group interview and document analysis.
• Summarize the data and produce a final report that identifies the overall strengths and opportunities for improvement, which are aligned with professional learning communities and Baldrige Organizational Excellence practices. The program also provides suggestions for the next steps to improve the district or school’s learning process.

CEC Offers Targeted Needs Assessments in the Following Areas:

• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessments
• Inclusion / Special Education
• Early Childhood
• Equity
• Multi-Tiered System of Support
• English Language Learning
• Culture/Climate