Program Evaluations under ESSA and State Comp Ed

Program Evaluations under ESSA and State Comp Ed

June 1, 2023 | Grants Management

Summer is the perfect time to reflect on the previous year as you plan for next year. As you go about looking at data and conducting your Comprehensive Needs Assessment, be sure to include program evaluation as part of it. The program evaluation is often neglected but is an essential part of the process to ensure your federal and SCE funds are being used in the best way. If you are a charter school who either accepts Title I Schoolwide ESSA funds or receives State Compensatory funding, then program evaluations are a legal requirement and subject to random audits. CSS has included a template for program evaluation in this article so that you can be prepared as you plan for next year.

At Charter School Success we have the expertise to provide you with program evaluation assistance!  We help our clients plan better and smarter (and stay in compliance)!

For ESSA funding:

Title I regulations REQUIRE that a school operating a schoolwide program must:

  • Evaluate the implementation of, and results achieved, in the schoolwide program.
  • Determine the effectiveness of the schoolwide program in increasing the achievement of students in meeting the State’s academic standards, particularly those students who had been furthest from achieving the standards.
  • Revise the plan as necessary based on the results of the evaluation to ensure the continuous improvement of student achievement. Monitoring is recommended quarterly, but required semi-annually, and revision is required annually.

When should this be completed?

The Title I program evaluation should be completed at the end of the year as a part of the needs assessment process and before submitting the 2023-24 ESSA Consolidated Application.  A copy of your evaluation should be kept on file along with your Campus Improvement Plan and Comprehensive Needs Assessment. The process must be completed with the stakeholder committee, and sign-in sheets, agendas, and minutes for all meetings should be on file.

For State Compensatory Funds:

A Program Evaluation is required of ALL charter districts receiving State Compensatory Education funding allotments regardless of amount.  See Section 6.2.7 in the State Fiscal Accountability System Resource Guide (FASRG). SCE is evaluated by how well the allotment is addressing the needs of At-Risk students specifically.

However, if your Charter School received more than $750,000 in 2021-22 for State Compensatory funds AND

  • Received an F-Unacceptable performance rating for 2021-22 (includes ratings carried forward due to Covid) OR
  • Had ≥ 59% At-Risk Students reported in PEIMS for the school year 2020-21

then your charter district will need to submit a 2021-22 program evaluation electronically to TEA through the Audit Application in TEAL by July 10, 2023.

More Resources

For an additional resource, check out the below tool/template. There is no State-mandated template. This format is not required, but it has been vetted by the service centers who represent TEA.

A NEW resource for Title I Schoolwide campuses is the Campus Administrator Toolkit. The toolkit discusses the three required schoolwide program elements. Program evaluation is the third requirement after the needs assessment and campus improvement plan.

For more information regarding State Comp Ed requirements, please visit the TEA State Comp Ed Website page.

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