Program Evaluations for ESSA and Compensatory Education

Program Evaluations for ESSA and Compensatory Education

May 1, 2026 | Grants Management

It is natural to reflect and think about how your year went; however, having written program evaluations at the end of the year is one of the most common things that is overlooked. You are probably already thinking about things you want to change for next year, but are your reasons based on feelings or actual data? Without going through the process of program evaluations, you could be continuing ineffective and often costly programs that aren’t working. Furthermore, if you are a charter school who either accepts Title I ESSA funds or receives Compensatory Education funding, then written (and documented) program evaluations are legally required and subject to random audits. There is no “one way” to conduct a program evaluation, but today’s article will offer some practical tools to make the task more doable!

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)!

What is legally required 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 quarterly is highly recommended, but monitoring three times a year (beginning, middle, and end is the TEA standard. Anything less often is not consistent with truly engaging in continuous improvement.

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 2026-27 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 done collaboratively with the CNA/CIP stakeholder committee, and sign-in sheets, agendas, and minutes for all meetings should be on file.

What is required for Compensatory Education 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.

Are any resources available to assist with writing program evaluations?

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 fairly 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.

Need help?

Please contact Charter School Success: