COLLEGE SELF-ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PROCESS

Program Improvement Step

Currently

Do

Partially

Do

Do Not Do

Action Steps

Step 1:

Document Performance

Document your performance for each indicator

Determine reasonable performance benchmarks for specific population groups and clusters

Use graphical tools and statistics to document at least two years of performance for your college and compare data among other colleges and to benchmarks

Use graphical tools and statistics to document at least two years of performance for each demographic and special population group and compare data among other groups and to benchmarks

Document your student population mix and compare to benchmarks

Document at least two years of performance for every CTE program in the state and compare that performance to your programs and benchmarks

Document your program mix and compare to benchmarks

Assess the quality of your data and factored in its effect on your performance results

Determine your performance improvement priorities

Step 2: Identify Root Causes

Use multiple approaches to identify potential causes based on data and perspectives of stakeholders

Group potential causes into causes within your control and those external causes outside your control.

Use multiple approaches to analyze and evaluate potential causes and assess them according to objective criteria

Organize your theory of the causes of performance into a visual model or figure that shows: (1) root causes, (2) indirect causes, and (3) external causes outside your control.

Identify the most critical root causes on which to focus efforts in searching for solutions

Step 3: Select Best Solutions

Identify potential strategies and model by reviewing research and professional literature

Develop new, integrated, or customized solutions based on an internal design process

Assess and rate alternative strategies and models based on the five major selection criteria

Select the best strategies and models for further testing and evaluation

Step 4: Pilot Test and Evaluate Solutions

Pilot test and evaluate improvement strategies that will stand up to scrutiny from outside sources

Properly identify all strategies and models linked to root causes that contribute to program improvements and eliminate strategies and models in favor of others

Secure a base of support among pilot-site (program) participants and find ways of enlisting experienced staff in rolling out the improvement strategy

Identify sufficient resources to ensure that the improvement strategy is correctly implemented in pilot sites (programs)

Evaluate whether sites (programs) are achieving success and ensure all sites (programs) report on the data elements you’ve identified

Step 5: Implement Solutions

Monitor root causes identified in Step 2 to see if they hold true in new implementation sites (programs)

Assess how well the improvement strategies you’ve selected address the obstacles to high performance in your college and evaluate whether some are more applicable than others

Monitor whether implementation sites (programs) and staff properly implement and understand improvement strategies

Monitor data collection in implementation sites (programs) to accurately capture the progress being made

Determine mid-term course corrections that you

can make to improve performance outcomes