Evaluation Tools for School Improvement—Developed for State, District, and School Use

Source / Title and Link / Purpose / Key Features
State Department of Education Evaluation Tools
Arizona Department of Education / Standards and Rubrics for School Improvement 2005 Revised Edition
http://www.ade.state.az.us/schooleffectiveness/STDSRUBRIC.pdf / This evaluation rubric serves schools and districts as a foundation for a school improvement plan by identifying limitations and strengths of schools. / This 94-page evaluation is divided into four sections, one for each standard. Included are guiding questions for examining each standard.
Michigan Department of Education / Michigan School Improvement Framework Rubrics
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/OSI_FW_Rubrics_v_157013_7.3.pdf / This evaluation rubric helps schools and districts to rate the implementation status of school improvement efforts at schools. / This 99-page evaluation rubric is divided into five strands, and each strand is further divided into related standards.
Montana Office of Public Instruction / School Improvement Plan Scoring Rubric
http://opi.mt.gov/Pub/PDF/SSOS/SI/SIPScoringRubric.pdf / This evaluation rubric is to be used by schools to determine how well school improvement criteria were met. / This 16-page document is divided into three sections: self-evaluation, action planning, and goal setting. Each section contains 4 to 6 criteria.
Nebraska Department of Education / School Improvement Rubric
http://www.nde.state.ne.us/apac/Pub/New%20SIP%20Rubric.pdf / This evaluation tool is to be used by schools to measure the effectiveness of each phase of the school improvement process. / This 6-page document is divided into the six phases of the school improvement process: (1) commitment, planning, organization; (2) gathering and analyzing data; (3) target area goals; (4) the action plan; (5) implement and monitor the action plan; (6) review and update the action plan. Each phase is further divided into elements included in each phase.
Source / Title and Link / Purpose / Key Features
State Department of Education Evaluation Tools
Tennessee Department of Education / Tennessee School Improvement Planning Process (TSIPP): SIP Rubric
http://www.state.tn.us/education/accountability/doc/sip-rubric.doc / This rubric is designed to help schools evaluate the performance of school components and improvement plans. / This 14-page evaluation is divided into the following six components: (1) school profile; (2) academic and nonacademic data analysis; (3) belief, mission, and vision; (4) curricular, instructional assessment, and organizational effectiveness; (5) action plan development; (6) the school improvement plan and process evaluation. Each component includes a range of 3 to 8 criteria to be evaluated.
California Department of Education / School Self-Study and Rating Rubric (SSRR) Tool
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/mg/documents/stwtcstool.doc / This evaluation tool is used to document and record evidence of a school’s processes and practices. / This 20-page document is divided into four sections: academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, organizational structure and processes, and social equity. Each section includes approximately 10 criteria to be evaluated.
District Evaluation Tools
Springfield (Illinois) Public Schools / School Improvement Plan Rubric 2001–2002 School Year
http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/schoolimprovement/SIPrubrics.pdf / This tool is to be used by district and school leadership teams to evaluate the school improvement planning process. / This evaluation rubric is divided into five sections with accompanying indicators to help rate the school improvement plan.
Minneapolis (Minnesota) Public Schools / A Rubric for District Improvement Plans
http://schoolimprovement.mpls.k12.mn.us/sites/e69d0839-259e-4971-8fdf-0f39473ae3af/uploads/MDE_Scoring__Rubric_for_District_Improvement_Plans.doc / This tool can be used by state and/or district personnel to measure the improvement efforts of a school district. / This rubric includes eight sections to measure the ways in which a district is supporting school improvement efforts.
Source / Title and Link / Purpose / Key Features
School Climate Evaluation Tools
West Regional Equity Network at The University of Arizona / Equity Self-Assessment Tool
http://uacoe.arizona.edu/wren/esat.htm / To be used by school or district personnel to critically assess school/district on issues surrounding equity. / This online tool is divided into 11 modules. The tool is also available as a printable version.
School Improvement and Reform Evaluation Tools
The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement at Learning Point Associates / School Review Process Guide
http://centerforcsri.org/files/SchoolReviewProcessGuide.pdf / This tool was developed to help schools and districts with the planning and implementation process of school improvement focused on student achievement. / This 126-page document consists of many tools that can be used in various stages of planning, including a classroom observation protocol and questionnaires for various stakeholders.
The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement at Learning Point Associates / School Restructuring What Works When: A Guide for Education Leaders
http://www.centerforcsri.org/files/School_Restructuring_Guide.pdf / The purpose of this guide is to help schools and districts in the process of restructuring chronically low-performing schools. / Pages 67–74 of this 141-page guide offer tools to help schools and districts in the process of restructuring. These include various restructuring checklists, stakeholder planner, meeting action planner, and needs assessment tools.
Appalachia Educational Laboratory at Edvantia
(continued on next page) / School Improvement Specialist Training Materials: Performance Standards, Improving Schools, and Literature Review
Module 1—Shared Leadership
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/b8/40.pdf
Mod. 2—Learning Culture http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/b8/43.pdf
Mod. 3 – School-Family-Community Connections http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/b8/46.pdf
Mod. 4—Effective Teaching
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/b8/49.pdf
Mod. 5—Shared Goals for Learning http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/b8/4c.pdf
Mod. 6—Aligned and Balanced Curriculum http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/b8/4f.pdf
Mod. 7—Purposeful Student Assessment
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/b8/52.pdf / To be used by school improvement specialists to self-assess their knowledge and skills in helping schools in the process of improvement. / These seven modules contain self-assessment rubrics in the areas of shared leadership, learning culture, school-family-community connections, effective teaching, shared goals for learning, aligned and balanced curriculum, and purposeful student assessment. The modules also include various checklists, surveys, and other measurement tools to assess the improvement efforts at schools.
Source / Title and Link / Purpose / Key Features
School Improvement and Reform Evaluation Tools
The Wallace Foundation / Leading Change Handbook: Concepts and Tools
http://www.wallacefoundation.org/KnowledgeCenter/KnowledgeTopics/CurrentAreasofFocus/EducationLeadership/Documents/leading-change-handbook.pdf / This toolkit is to be used by school and districts to assist in the change process through tools that enable the leader to continually analyze, assess, and plan. / Various tools are exhibited in this 35-page document, as follows:
Readiness Rubric (pp. 5–6)
Stakeholder (pp. 8–13)
Early Win Wonder (p. 15)
Resistance Reducer (pp. 17–18)
Decision Sheet/Collaborative Planning Parameters (pp. 21–25)
Scale & Sustainability Score Sheet (pp. 27–31
Instructional Evaluation Tools
National High School Center / Early Warning System Tool
http://www.betterhighschools.org/docs/EWStool.xls / The purpose of this tool is to aid schools in storing and analyzing relevant information on first-year students to serve as a guide for early warning systems aimed at preventing high school dropouts. / School leadership teams input data on students, and this tool calculates indicators related to dropout prevention. Indicators are based on attendance data, course failures, GPA, and on-track status.
Achieve / Mathematics Benchmark Alignment Tool
http://www.achieve.org/node/1050 / State education agencies and local education agencies can use this tool this tool to measure the alignment of instructional objectives to content standards necessary for postsecondary school success. / This tool is available at no cost upon registering for access to the site. Users then identify the course, state, and district of interest.
Source / Title and Link / Purpose / Key Features
Program Evaluation Tools
The Forum for Youth Investment / Measuring Youth Program Quality: A Guide to Assessment Tools (2nd ed.)
http://forumfyi.org/files/MeasuringYouthProgramQuality_2ndEd.pdf / To be used as a quality evaluation of youth programs by practitioners, researcher, evaluators and policymakers. This tool evaluates and compares the assessment tools of several youth programs. / This tool has criteria for inclusion and measures the following aspects of program assessment tools: the purpose and history, the content, the structure and methodology, and the technical properties.
California Department of Education After School Programs Office
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California Afterschool Network / After-School Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool
http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/files/AssessmentFinal.pdf / To be used internally as a supplement to outcome program evaluations. / This 16-page document is divided into nine sections, each with accompanying criteria and rated on the performance level. The nine sections are (1) program design and accountability; (2) program environment/climate; (3) program administration, leadership, and finance; (4) alignment and linkages with the school day; (5) youth development; (6) family involvement; (7) community partnerships and collaboration; (8) staff development; (9) promoting diversity, access, equity, and inclusion.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction / Wisconsin Response to Intervention (RtI) Self-Assessment for Schools and Districts
http://dpi.wi.gov/rti/pdf/rtiselfassess.pdf / This tool is to be used by school or district leadership teams who are planning on implementing an RtI system. / This tool in draft version is divided into three sections: (1) high-quality instructional practices, (2) continuous review of student progress, and (3) collaboration. The tool measures the implementation of various phases under each section.

The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement Evaluation Tools for School Improvement—1