Good Ideas from High Performing States
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Good Ideas from High Performing States
We are getting some good ideas from this discussion. We wonder if there is a way to learn from high performing states. Who are they? What do they do in terms of using data? Have some states discovered the data that makes a difference in their final NRS reports? What are the factors that truly impact the final data?
Maybe we don’t have to reinvent. Thanks.
Barbara Arguedas
Santa Fe Community College ABE
Hi,
In Massachusetts we migrated our desk review system over to a web based reporting system (Cognos) in the last few years. The system allows programs ongoing access to view their progress throughout the year. At the end of the fiscal year programs can view their scores. The six performance standards have been informed by statistical analysis of multiple years of data, a goals pilot, and input from the field of ABE practitioners in multiple task groups and workshops at statewide conferences. Each of the standards is set at or near the Massachusetts state average for performance in the following areas: attendance, average attended hours, pre and post testing percentage, learner gains, setting and meeting student goals, and NRS Table 4 educational functioning level completion. The performance standards, as one part of a larger system of accountability, encourage continuous improvement, effective program administration, and positive student outcomes. Our intention was to create a simple and understandable system that local programs would buy into and use. The state also wanted the system to be seen as helping with program improvement not as punitive. We assign points to a relatively small number of measures because those are the measures we want to emphasize and because of the difficulty of quantifying some of the other measures. The fact that local programs have regular access to the Cognos system has helped with buy in. This access allows locals to see the same data the state sees, increasing transparency, and allowing programs to follow their progress throughout the year. This has helped locals to see the benefits of the desk review system.
Donna Cornellier
SMARTT ABE Project Manager
Adult and Community Learning Services
Massachusetts Department of Education
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
781 338-3814
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