Exploring the School-Based Collaborative Assessment of Needs Process: A Participatory Evaluation Case Study

• In Event: Collaborative Partnerships for Mental Health, Childcare, and Immigrant and Refugee Youth

Abstract

Needs assessments are a critical component within educational contexts. This paper presents a case study of the development, implementation, and evaluation of the School-based Collaborative Assessment of Needs (SCAN), a four-phase process to document needs and resources within a school to generate action plans. We use observational, archival, and evaluation methods to explore SCAN implementation at one school site. Utilizing participatory evaluation and implementation science frameworks, we implemented a pragmatic project to explore and refine SCAN in collaboration with community partners. Our findings demonstrate the utility of SCAN and the importance of using collaborative, systematic approaches to integrate data-based decision-making within educational contexts.

Authors

• Sara T. Stacy, Michigan State University

• Jennifer A. Gruber, Michigan State University

• Nicholas DeMott