Data Into Action

• In Event: Data-Driven Community Schools Model to Plan, Implement, and Evaluate Services in Rural School Districts

Abstract

In this presentation, participants will learn how to utilize a data-driven strategic planning process for development of Community Schools. The theoretical model for the process is the Collaborative Attachment, self-Regulation, Competence, and Health (ARCH) model that provides a blueprint for organizing theory, research, data, implementation, and evaluation for youth development. Through developing collaboration among schools, local health and human service agencies, and community members, an array of data collection efforts led to a strategic planning process that was data-informed while considering the mission, resources, and restraints of each collaborator. From the perspective of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment in Schools, the result of the process is a vibrant ongoing data collection process that reduces or eliminates many of the common barriers to quality research. Participating schools provide access to students for several critical data collections. Most measures are collected from all students in target populations which eliminates many of the questions regarding representativeness of samples. Creative ID coding procedures allow linking of multiple datasets, including measures from student records, while ensuring student anonymity and confidentiality. The development of the Community Schools concept was facilitated by the availability of needs assessments based on local data and related to research-based models. The availability of comprehensive datasets also provide the material for conducting timely evaluations that include impact evaluation as well process or implementation evaluations that are vital for continuous quality improvement and sustainability. Examples will include results of the Evalumetrics Youth Survey (EYS) that provided the initial needs assessment by quantifying problem behaviors and measuring root causes including risk and protective factors and adverse childhood experiences. Once critical variables were identified, additional measures were used to monitor characteristics such as self-efficacy. Several grant funded youth development program evaluations are designed consistent with the ARCH model and utilize the comprehensive Community Schools datasets. Workshop participants will engage in a discussion of application of the model and lessons learned in the development of Community Schools that can be applied in their schools and communities. The quantification of concepts from education and child development theories is significant for validating concepts in an applied or “real world” setting.

Author

• Rob Lillis, Evalumetrics Research