TOOLKIT - 2021 FAMILY LEAGUE OF BALTIMORE - Family ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
TOOLKI
T
©2021FAMI
LYLEAGUEOFBALTI
MORE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Grounding Context ................................................................................................................................................... 4
ALIGNMENT TO STANDARDS ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Community School Needs Assessment Process .............................................................................................. 6
KEY DEFINITIONS ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
WORKFLOW AND ASSOCIATED TOOLS ...................................................................................................................... 7
PREPARE FOR THE PROCESS ....................................................................................................................................... 8
REVIEW EXISTING DATA ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Existing School and Community Data Worksheet................................................................................................. 9
Data Sources ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
COLLECT DATA .......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Consent ................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Stakeholder Surveys............................................................................................................................................ 10
Student Survey ............................................................................................................................................... 12
Parent/Guardian Survey ................................................................................................................................. 12
School Staff or Partner Survey ........................................................................................................................ 12
Community Member Survey .......................................................................................................................... 12
Focus Groups ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
Guidance......................................................................................................................................................... 13
Sample Questions ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Key Informant Interviews ................................................................................................................................... 15
Guidance......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Develop Asset Inventory ....................................................................................................................................... 15
Asset Inventory Tool ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Analyze and Report ................................................................................................................................................ 16
ANALYSIS OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA ............................................................................................ 16
Needs Assessment Data Organization Tool ........................................................................................................ 16
Findings Report Framework ................................................................................................................................ 17
Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................................ 17
ATTACHMENTS
ATTACHMENT A: Existing School and Community Data Worksheet ........................................................................... 18
ATTACHMENT B: Student Survey – English ................................................................................................................. 24
ATTACHMENT C: Student Survey – Spanish ................................................................................................................ 29
ATTACHMENT D: Parent/Guardian Survey – English ................................................................................................... 34
ATTACHMENT E: Parent/Guardian Survey – Spanish .................................................................................................. 40
ATTACHMENT F: School Staff or Partner Survey – English .......................................................................................... 46
ATTACHMENT G: School Staff or Partner Survey – Spanish ........................................................................................ 53
ATTACHMENT H: Community Member Survey – English ............................................................................................ 61
ATTACHMENT I: Community Member Survey – Spanish............................................................................................. 65
ATTACHMENT J: Survey Administration Guide ............................................................................................................ 69
ATTACHMENT K: Focus Group Note-Taking Template ................................................................................................ 71
ATTACHMENT L: Asset Inventory ................................................................................................................................ 78
ATTACHMENT M: Data Organization Tool ................................................................................................................... 81
ATTACHMENT N: Findings Report Template ............................................................................................................... 85
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 3
GROUNDING CONTEXT
The Community School Needs Assessment process contains several key components that aim to gather,
organize, analyze, and report on data related to school and community needs. This process is used to
create a profile of needs for a Community School. Needs are defined as the gaps between where we are
and where we want to be. A needs assessment process helps root the work of a Community School by
ensuring that offerings and partnerships are aligned with the direct needs of students, families, and the
community.
The purpose of the needs assessment is not to scientifically evaluate the impact of programs, strategies,
or curricula, but rather, to gather data that will inform and support decisions about the school’s
programming and operations. The Community School Coordinator (CSC), in collaboration with the school-
level team, such as a Community School Steering Committee (CSSC), will facilitate the needs assessment
process using work plan or Gantt chart tools as appropriate. CSCs should work together with school and
community partners to flesh out the process in their respective schools. This process engages diverse
stakeholders in gathering a wide range of data to inform the Community School Action Plan. The Action
Plan serves as a roadmap for the work of the Community School and includes performance measure
tracking. The needs assessment process is directly aligned with Action Plan development to ensure that
the work of the Community School is matched to the needs identified by stakeholders.
The needs assessment process outlined in this toolkit includes: a review of existing data, stakeholder
surveys, focus groups, key informant interviews, an asset inventory, quantitative and qualitative analysis,
prioritization of needs, and reporting. This process will develop a clear picture of needs for the school and
greater community, which will serve as a guide for action planning.
A LIGNMENT TO S TANDARDS
The Coalition for Community Schools defines a Community School in the following way:
“A community school is a public school—the hub of its neighborhood, uniting families, educators and
community partners to provide all students with top-quality academics, enrichment, health and social
services, and opportunities to succeed in school and in life.”
The needs assessment process is rooted in this definition, along with the ten Community Schools
standards, also developed by the Coalition for Community Schools. These standards are woven
throughout the provided data collection and organization tools. By aligning the needs assessment with
the standards, a clear connection can be made between the needs and assets identified through the
process, and the strategy that drives the core functions and programming of a Community School. As of
development of this toolkit, the most current Standards available are the 2018 Community School
Standards. Refer to the Coalition for Community Schools website for future updates. Below is a
breakdown of the Site Standards and seven guiding principles as created by the Institute for Educational
Leadership and the Coalition for Community Schools.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 4
Institute for Educational Leadership & Coalition for Community Schools (2017, March 22). CS Site Standards Infographic
[Digital image]. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from
©2021 Family League of Baltimore
https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Ab138381a-959e-4d3e-8773- 5
Seven principles guide the Community Schools’ approach to school transformation and provide a
framework that undergirds each of the Community School Implementation Standards. Those principles
include pursue equity; invest in a whole-child approach to education; build on community strengths to
ensure conditions for learning; use data and community wisdom to guide partnerships, programs, and
progress; commit to interdependence and shared accountability; invest in building trusting relationships;
and foster a learning organization.
Outlined below are the key Program Elements as identified in the Community Schools Standards.
Throughout this toolkit, data collection and organization tools are organized by these Program Elements.
• Family Engagement - places value on experiences of people from varied backgrounds who are
committed to the community
• Health & Social Supports - identifies and addresses physical, mental, and emotional health needs
• Community Development - recognizes the school as a hub that is an open and accessible venue
to explore assets and address challenges
• College & Career - focuses learning experiences on real-world issues and prepares students to
be problem solvers ready for life beyond school
• Enhanced Academics & Enrichment - ensures high-quality, student-centered learning
opportunities are available during the school day, afterschool, and in the summer
• Youth Development - provides enriching experiences during and beyond the school day, creating
opportunities for students to explore interests and develop skills
COMMUNITY SCHOOL NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROCESS
K EY D EFINITIONS
Below are definitions of key terms used throughout this toolkit.
• Asset – something that improves the quality of the community, including, but not limited to
individuals, community associations or groups, and institutions. Individual assets are people who
offer their skills, talents, gifts, and capacities. Associations include churches, local organizations,
groups, clubs, etc. Institutions include government agencies, human service agencies, educational
institutions, hospitals, credit unions, banks, community foundations, businesses, corporate
foundations, community centers, etc.
• Asset Inventory – a systematic review of existing individuals, community associations or groups,
and institutions that address community needs
• Community – the staff, students, families, partners, and residents surrounding and supporting
the school with the common goal of mutual benefit and success. These groups work in partnership
with a shared vision and accountability.
• Community School Coordinator (CSC) – the staff person working in the school to support the
Community Schools strategy by aligning resources to needs; also commonly referred to as a
Community School Manager or Resource Director
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 6• Focus Group – a small-group, facilitator-guided discussion about a specific topic that informs
future action
• Key Informant Interview – qualitative, comprehensive conversation with individuals who know
what is happening within a community to gather feedback about needs and assets
• Need – gap between a current condition and a desired condition
• Needs Assessment – a systematic process to determine community needs, existing resources and
assets, and develop a plan to address those needs
• Partner – person or organization outside of the school system who/which is committed to
bringing resources to schools
• Partnership – a mutually supportive relationship between a school and an individual or
organization in which the partner commits to the vision and specific goals determined jointly with
the school
• Qualitative Data – data that cannot be expressed as a number and is descriptive in nature
• Quantitative Data – anything that can be expressed as a number and categorized
• Sample – a set of data collected from a larger set of data; a subset of a population
• Stakeholder – a party that has an interest in the school and can either affect or be affected by the
school
• Survey – a structured questionnaire designed to gather quantitative and/or qualitative data from
individuals
If further clarity on the process, components, or definitions is needed, the Center for Community Health
and Development at the University of Kansas has a comprehensive toolbox for a community needs
assessment available online. This toolbox is primarily focused on health promotion programs and is more
involved than this toolkit, however, it offers helpful guidance on various components of the process.
W ORKFLOW AND A SSOCIATED T OOLS
The following graphic presents the workflow and tools for the process. Each component and associated
tool is discussed in more detail in subsequent sections. This workflow is adapted from a toolkit created
by the National Center for Community Schools.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 7Community Schools Needs Assessment Process
P REPARE FOR THE P ROCESS
This first step in the process is preparation. To conduct the needs assessment effectively, Community
Schools Coordinators (CSCs) should work in collaboration with stakeholders to backwards map and
establish a timeline starting with the completion of the Action Plan. The Action Plan should be completed
prior to the beginning of the school year since it guides the work of the Community Schools Strategy. The
needs assessment process could take between six to eight months to complete. CSCs should review the
needs assessment process with the school-level team, assign roles, and generate timelines. CSCs can
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 8choose to use work plans, Gantt charts, Microsoft Planner, SmartSheet, or other project management
tools to keep track of all process components and deliverables.
R EVIEW E XISTING D ATA
The second step in the process is to review existing data. It is important to get the full picture of need in
a community by reviewing existing data from a variety of sources. There are vast amounts of data at
the national-, state-, city-, community-, and school-levels that cover topics such as health, education, and
housing. These data will help support needs identified through the other needs assessment
components and may also help identify additional needs that were not specifically called out in other
aspects of this process. An important component of reviewing existing data is to compare data points at
the neighborhood, school, or community-level to other neighborhoods or the city to better gauge needs.
The following sections provide a guiding document to support organizing data along with possible data
sources related to community issues.
EXISTING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY DATA WORKSHEET
The Existing School and Community Data Worksheet (Attachment A), based on a document created by
the National Center for Community Schools, serves as a guide for collecting and organizing data related
to topics such as population, language, health, family, economy, education, housing, and
crime. Discretion should be used in determining which data points are a fit based on the school and
community as not all data points will apply to all schools. The next section provides potential data sources
related to community issues.
DATA SOURCES
Schools will need to review available data, research, and reports to complete the "Existing School and
Community Data Worksheet." Each jurisdiction has a wealth of publicly available sources of information
around the key Program Elements. Schools should look to their own data captured at the school or District
level in addition to local agencies and organizations that publish relevant information. This may include
the Health Department, Police Department, Department of Education, Department of Labor, and others.
Schools may be able to find reports or datasets provided by local universities. Census data is also helpful.
This is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other data sources that provide similar or supplemental
information. Some of the data points in the worksheet can only be collected at the school-level while
others are available at the community-, city-, or regional-level.
C OLLECT D ATA
CONSENT
Before collecting data from stakeholders, particularly students, the school should refer to available
guidance on consent from the School District, Lead Agency, or other applicable entity supporting this
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 9process. This may involve obtaining a signed consent form, sending home a letter, or taking other steps
to ensure that stakeholders, particularly parents of students, have given permission to be engaged in
this process before completing a survey or participating in a focus group or interview.
STAKEHOLDER SURVEYS
It is important to gather data directly from the individuals who know the most about the school and
community in which they live, work, and attend school. To do so, there are stakeholder surveys for
students, parents/guardians, school staff, school partners, and other community members focused on
identifying the needs they see in the school and greater community. In addition to identifying the needs,
the surveys also provide an opportunity for respondents to identify programs or services already in
existence that benefit their community. These details will help with the asset inventory portion of the
needs assessment process. The surveys are a first pass at collecting information about needs at the
school- and community-levels and services to support those needs. Later, focus groups and interviews
will allow an opportunity to gather more detailed information from stakeholders.
The survey questions are aligned to the Community School Standards and Program Elements; however,
question wording and formats are matched to the stakeholder type. The alignment of all four surveys
ensures comparable data is collected and will allow for a clear understanding of needs across stakeholder
types. In some instances, there might be a person who falls into more than one stakeholder group.
However, each stakeholder should only take the survey once. CSCs should use the following guidance
when deciding which survey to administer to a stakeholder who falls into more than one stakeholder
group.
Stakeholder Groups of Individual Survey that Should be Administered
Parent and School Staff or Partner Parent
Parent and Community Member Parent
School Staff or Partner and Community Member School Staff/Partner
Student and Community Member Student
The paper surveys are included in Attachments B through I, and the sections below provide details on
content and administration for each survey type. It is recommended that schools offer both paper and
online formats for surveys to meet the needs of stakeholders. There are many online survey tools
available including SharePoint Forms, SurveyMonkey, SurveyGizmo, etc. Translating the surveys into
other languages should be considered as well and aligned to the primary languages spoken in the school
community. Community Schools can use events like “Back to School Night” to gather surveys from
stakeholders.
To determine how many people to collect data from within each stakeholder group, use an amended
version of the “Krejcie and Morgan Table” provided below. The Population indicates the number of
people in the stakeholder group (parents, students, school staff, etc.) and the Sample Size is the number
of people in that stakeholder group who need to be engaged to obtain a representative sample. For
example, if there are 1,000 students who attend the Community School, then 278 students need to be
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 10engaged. If a population is small, then the sample size will be almost the same as the population size.
However, as shown below, as the population size increases, the sample size gets farther away from the
total population size.
A simple percentage cannot be used to determine a sample because, depending on the population size,
it may not result in a sample that is representative of the population. If there are ten school staff members
and only 10 percent are surveyed, that means that only one teacher will be surveyed. It is not possible
for one person to accurately represent an entire population. Use the guide below to help select the
appropriate sample size. Please note that non-duplicated stakeholder participants from all means of data
collection can be included in the sample size. This includes participants from surveys, focus groups, and
interviews. For example, if the student population in the school is 500, then the school should plan to
engage 217 total students through either a survey, focus group or interview to obtain a representative
sample.
Population Sample Size Population Sample Size Population Sample Size
10 10 220 140 1,200 291
15 14 230 144 1,300 297
20 19 240 148 1,400 302
25 24 250 152 1,500 306
30 28 260 155 1,600 310
35 32 270 159 1,700 313
40 36 280 162 1,800 317
45 40 290 165 1,900 320
50 44 300 169 2,000 322
55 48 320 175 2,200 327
60 52 340 181 2,400 331
65 56 360 186 2,600 335
70 59 380 191 2,800 338
75 63 400 196 3,000 341
80 66 420 201 3,500 346
85 70 440 205 4,000 351
90 73 460 210 4,500 354
95 76 480 214 5,000 357
100 80 500 217 6,000 361
110 86 550 226 7,000 364
120 92 600 234 8,000 367
130 97 650 242 9,000 368
140 103 700 248 10,000 370
150 108 750 254 15,000 375
160 113 800 260 20,000 377
170 118 850 265 30,000 379
180 123 900 269 40,000 380
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 11Population Sample Size Population Sample Size Population Sample Size
190 127 950 274 50,000 381
200 132 1,000 278 75,000 382
210 136 1,100 285 100,000 384
Source: Krejcie, R.V. & Morgan, D.W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational
and Psychological Measurement, 30, 607-610.
STUDENT SURVEY
The student survey (Attachments B and C) contains questions about specific needs within the school as
well as in the greater school community. Students will respond to statements about their school that are
aligned with the Community School standards. In addition, students will identify needs they believe
people in their neighborhood have and what they believe would help meet those needs. This survey is
written in plain language and is appropriate for students in Grade 3 and up. Refer to the focus group
section for more information about gathering feedback from students in Pre-K through Second Grade or
older youth for whom the written survey is not developmentally appropriate. In some instances, it may
be best to read the survey aloud to youth who may have reading comprehension challenges in small
groups or one-on-one. The student survey is available in English and Spanish.
PARENT/GUARDIAN SURVEY
The parent/guardian survey (Attachments D and E) contains questions about specific needs within the
school as well as in the greater school community. Parents/guardians will respond to statements about
their child’s school that are aligned to the Community School standards. In addition, parents will identify
the needs they believe their community has and the services they believe will help address those needs.
For each community program or service type, parents will indicate whether they know if these services
already exist and are meeting the need in the community. Space is provided to discuss services in more
detail. The parent/guardian survey is available in English and Spanish.
SCHOOL STAFF OR PARTNER SURVEY
The school staff or partner survey (Attachment F and G) contains questions about specific needs within
the school as well as in the greater school community. The school-specific questions are grouped by
Community School Program Elements and standards. School staff and partners will also provide feedback
on the needs in the greater school community and the services that would help address those needs. This
survey allows school staff and partners to distinguish between needs being met and not being met in the
school and the community-at-large. This survey is available in English and Spanish.
COMMUNITY MEMBER SURVEY
The community member survey (Attachments H and I) only contains questions about the greater school
community. Community members will respond to questions about the needs in the community and
whether those needs are being met. The community member survey is available in English and Spanish.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 12FOCUS GROUPS
GUIDANCE
A focus group is a small-group discussion, guided by a facilitator, about a specific topic that informs future
action. A focus group provides an opportunity to gather rich feedback from stakeholders. Focus groups
should be organized based on stakeholder type. For example, focus groups with parents should be held
separately from focus groups with school staff.
It is important to prepare for a focus group in advance by writing an introduction to give participants the
context needed to have a productive discussion and prepare several questions to get the conversation
going. Each focus group should have a separate facilitator and a notetaker to ensure both parties are able
to serve in their role successfully. Please refer to the note-taking template included as Attachment K. It
is helpful to share key definitions with the focus group such as community, need, and asset. Shared
definitions ensure everyone is clear about what participants mean when they use certain terms.
Since the surveys are aimed at youth in Grades 3 and up, focus groups or interviews are the best way to
gather feedback from students in lower grades. Younger students may need some practical aids such as
an art project or a game. For example, students could be asked to draw a picture of their ideal school.
Some students may also be able to include words, phrases, or sentences to describe their picture.
The Community School should refer to the sample size guidance to determine how many focus groups are
needed per stakeholder type to obtain representative feedback. A translator may be necessary in some
instances, so plan based on the language needs of each stakeholder type. The notetaker tracks the
number of participants per focus group for the final data roll-up. Discretion should be used to determine
if live polling or tools like Kahoot are appropriate to gather anonymous feedback from participants during
the focus groups. Additionally, focus group participants may be future resources for the Community
School. CSCs may want to include time at the end of the focus group to gather contact information from
participants who want to continue their involvement in the process moving forward.
Focus groups can take place either in-person or virtually via a video conferencing platform as described in
the following sections.
IN-PERSON
The in-person focus group should last no more than one hour and should contain between six and twelve
participants. The number of participants is important to ensure there are enough people to keep the
dialogue going, but not too many that it becomes difficult to manage. When planning the date and time
of the focus group, consider the schedules of the stakeholder type. Weekends and evenings may be the
best time to host certain groups.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 13The space for an in-person focus group should have chairs set up in a circle so that all participants can see
and hear one another. To increase the level of comfort for participants, you might also consider providing
snacks and beverages.
The Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace has a useful guide to facilitating
focus groups, which covers how to prepare the room, open the session, set ground rules, as well as key
do’s and don’ts. Other helpful resources about facilitating focus groups are available from the CDC,
University of Minnesota, and Office for Coastal Management.
VIRTUAL
Virtual focus groups are also an option for collecting open-ended information from your stakeholders.
Holding virtual focus groups allows for participants to join from their own homes. This may grant
additional flexibility for participants who experience transportation barriers or caretaking
responsibilities.
It is recommended that virtual focus groups include fewer participants than in-person focus groups.
While in-person focus groups may accommodate up to 12 individuals, virtual focus groups should
include four to six participants. Participants should be encouraged to join with their cameras on, so that
participants can build a rapport despite not being in the same room.
Facilitators should become familiar with the video conferencing platform ahead of time and understand
all its functions and capabilities, including the chat box. Facilitators may also allow participants to join
the focus group 10 to 15 minutes before the actual start time to test their technology and ensure
everything is working properly. To protect the safety of participants, facilitators should ensure that the
platform is secure. This may mean requiring a password to join the meeting. Additionally, setting ground
rules about issues like confidentiality is especially important in a virtual space. Refer to Child Trends and
MDRC for additional tips and best practices on leading virtual focus groups.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
The sample focus group questions listed below align with the survey questions but allow an opportunity
to gather more open-ended feedback through probing questions. The wording may need to be tailored
to focus group participants to ensure comprehension. However, it is important that the same question is
asked at base so that the answers are comparable across stakeholder types. The Community School may
choose to include additional school-specific questions at the end. However, there should not be more
than 8 to 10 total overarching questions to ensure the focus group stays on topic and finishes within the
appropriate timeframe.
Focus Group Sample Agenda
1. Introductions
2. Context for the focus group (the “why”)
3. Define key terms
4. Set ground rules
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 145. Explain roles of the facilitator and notetaker
6. Ask questions (see below)
7. Wrap up/next steps
Sample Focus Group Questions
1. Let’s think about the community around the school. What are the most important needs of this
community? Why?
2. What programs and services are already helping with these needs in the community?
3. What other programs and services do you think would help with these needs?
4. Now, let’s think about the school itself. What needs do you think the school has? Why?
5. How could the school address those needs?
KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS
GUIDANCE
Key informant interviews provide an opportunity to have a more in-depth conversation with stakeholders
who have a strong connection to the school and unique perspectives to share. It can also help to gather
information from individuals who did not participate in a survey or focus group. The interview should last
less than 45 minutes. The interview does not need to contain the exact same questions from the survey
or the focus group but should still follow the same line of questioning related to developing an
understanding of school and community needs and assets. Interviews are a good way to engage
stakeholders for whom the survey or focus group are not an appropriate fit. You may find a theme arises
in one interview that you want to explore more in subsequent interviews. Examples of Key Informant
Interviewees include the school operator (if applicable), principal, school nurse, parent group leader,
student group leader (where applicable), and community advocates.
While the survey contains mostly close-ended questions with defined answer choices, key informant
interview questions should be asked in an open format to gather more detailed information. It may be
best to have one person conduct all interviews. It is important to ensure questions are framed in a way
to keep the focus on the needs and assets of the school and the community along with the ways services
and supports can help address those needs. The interviewer should remain neutral throughout the
interview, develop a rapport, use active listening, and ask probing questions. The interviewer(s) should
keep track of the number of interview respondents for the overall sample. Additional guidance about key
informant interviews is available from UCLA and USAID.
DEVELOP ASSET INVENTORY
An asset inventory is an important component of a needs assessment as it is key to identifying not only
the needs of a community but also the assets that exist in the community to help address those needs.
Assets help to improve the quality of the community and can take multiple forms. Community assets
typically fall into three categories: individuals, community associations or groups, and institutions.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 15Individual assets include youth, senior citizens, school staff, community members, volunteers, and other
people. Community associations or groups include charitable groups, community associations, cultural
groups, and other local groups. Institutions include libraries, parks, colleges, businesses,
agencies/organizations, churches, hospitals, and other facilities.
All the components of the needs assessment process should touch on assets in addition to needs. The
surveys are structured to capture this information. The existing data review may bring certain assets to
light. Probing questions through focus groups and interviews should also seek to gather this information.
An Asset Inventory is provided to help guide the collection of information related to assets. More
information about asset inventories and mapping is available through the DePaul University ABCD
Institute.
ASSET INVENTORY TOOL
Throughout the needs assessment process, CSCs will collect information about assets. The Asset
Inventory (Attachment L) is a guide to organizing this information aligned to the Program Elements.
ANALYZE AND REPORT
A NALYSIS OF Q UANTITATIVE AND Q UALITATIVE D ATA
The needs assessment process collects data from a variety of sources and stakeholder groups. Once all
data is collected, an analysis of the findings is necessary to determine the needs, assets, and services that
exist in the school and greater community. The data occurs in two different forms: quantitative and
qualitative. Quantitative data are the numbers, percentages, and rates gathered through the existing data
review and survey components of the process. Qualitative data are the spoken or written information
collected through focus groups, key informant interviews, and open-ended survey responses. A Needs
Assessment Data Organization Tool, discussed in the next section, is provided to assist with organizing
these varied data.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT DATA ORGANIZATION TOOL
The Needs Assessment Data Organization Tool (Attachment M) is organized by key area and data source
type. Space is provided to list the data points, count of participants, and findings from the process. This
document is intentionally open-ended to allow CSCs the opportunity to include results in the way that
works best for them. CSCs should pull together the focus group notes, interview notes, survey results by
stakeholder type, and existing data review findings to complete the document. A prioritization process
should then take place with the school-level team to determine which needs the school will plan to
address in the coming years. There will likely be many needs that arise. However, prioritization of those
needs is important to focus efforts and resources. Once this process is complete, the CSC should create a
findings report to share back with stakeholders. The next section provides a suggested report framework.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 16FINDINGS REPORT FRAMEWORK
A template is provided in Attachment N for a findings report which shares common themes identified
through the process and next steps for implementation of strategies to address needs with all
stakeholders. The findings report contains information about the process, the methods used, the data
collected, strengths and limitations, findings, and recommendations. Sharing a findings report, or
something comparable, is important so that individuals who engaged in the process can see the outcome
of their efforts.
NEXT STEPS
Once the needs assessment process is complete, the next step is action planning. An action plan is a guide
for how the Community School and its offerings will meet the needs of the community. The Action Plan
is a comprehensive strategy created by the Lead Agency (if applicable), Community School Principal, and
stakeholders that seeks to remove barriers to academic success by focusing on equity through increasing
opportunity and access for students, families, and communities to the services that support basic human
needs such shelter, health, food, etc. The Action Plan includes performance measures and associated
activities that are aligned to the findings of the needs assessment to ensure the Community School is
responsive to stakeholders.
Any external links provided in this document are resources and their inclusion does not indicate
endorsement by Family League of Baltimore. Family League of Baltimore offers workshops on
implementation of the toolkit, prioritization of needs, and development of an Action Plan. Please contact
dataevaluation@familyleague.org for more information.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 17a EXISTING SCHOOL & COMMUNITY DATA WORKSHEET
Existing School and Community Data Worksheet
Use local data sources to find and record the following data points at the school or community-level.
Please note that in some instances, the community-level data may be unavailable or difficult to find, and
schools should attempt to obtain data at the lowest population level available. Additional open fields
are provided under each category if other important data points are found during the research. Schools
are not required to capture every data point in this document and discretion should be used to determine
the most appropriate data to collect.
School Name:
School Community:
Academic and Enrichment
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
% students performing as proficient
or higher on state reading
assessments
% students scoring as proficient or
higher on state math assessments
% proficient or above on state
science assessments (if applicable)
Student mobility rate
Average class size
Average teacher years of
experience
Chronic absenteeism rate
# students retained
# students suspended in the
previous school year
# repeat suspensions in previous
school year
# students expelled in previous
school year
# students on-track to graduate
based on credits
©2021 Family League of BaltimoreCollege and Career
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
Graduation rate
% graduating students enrolled in
post-secondary education
#/% students who applied for
college
#/% students who applied for
financial aid
#/% of students taking the SAT or
ACT exam
#/% of students making college
visits
#/% students participating in
internships
#/% students enrolled in Career &
Technical Education (CTE)
Community Development and Engagement
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
# community members on the
school’s decision-making body
Median household income
#/% households living below the
poverty line
#/% children living below the
poverty line
Unemployment rate
# one-parent households
# families with grandparent or
other family member raising the
child(ren)
#/% children in foster care
Homicide rate
# community residents who
volunteer in the school
©2021 Family League of BaltimoreCommunity Development and Engagement
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
# community events held at the
school (i.e. neighborhood
association meeting)
Family Engagement
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
#/% parents/guardians that
complete a School Survey (if
applicable)
#/% parents/guardians that attend
school events that support
academic success of students
# parent/guardian volunteers
# parent/guardian volunteer hours
# parents/guardians that have
decision-making power at the
school through a convening body
# leadership development
opportunities for
parents/guardians
# professional development
offerings/events that support adult
learning (i.e. GED classes)
Health and Social Supports
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
# students out of compliance for
immunizations
Prominent public health diagnoses
#/% students with asthma
©2021 Family League of BaltimoreHealth and Social Supports
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
School located in a food
priority/desert area
#/% students who receive dental
exams
#/% students who do not pass their
vision screening at school
#/% students who do not pass their
hearing screening at school
#/% families with identified health
and social support needs that are
linked to services
#/% families without health
insurance
# families unstably housed
# families that are homeless
# families living in public housing
Teen pregnancy rate
# health education
activities/opportunities (i.e. health
fairs)
# students receiving asthma
support
Youth Development
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
# students enrolled in afterschool
Out-of-School Time (OST) program,
club, or enrichment activities
# students enrolled in summer
programs
#/% students on track to complete
service-learning hours requirement
by graduation (if applicable)
©2021 Family League of BaltimoreYouth Development
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
Other
Data School or Community District or Jurisdiction
School population by race
School population by ethnicity
Total Population
Population by Languages Spoken
Population by Age
STAR Rating per ESSA
©2021 Family League of BaltimoreB STUDENT SURVEY - ENGLISH
Student - English
Community School Needs Assessment
You know your school and your neighborhood. Please help us by filling out this survey. Your answers will tell us what your school and
neighborhood may need. Your answers will also tell us great things happening at your school now. This survey should not take more
than 15 minutes to fill out. No one will know what answers you give. You may choose to take this survey or not. Thank you!
1. What is the school’s name? ________________________________________________
2. Can you easily walk from your home to the school?
Yes
No
If no, what neighborhood do you live in? ____________________________________________
3. What grade are you in?
3rd grade 5th grade 7th grade 9th grade 11th grade
4th grade 6th grade 8th grade 10th grade 12th grade
Other (please specify): _________________________________________________________
4. Please mark how often each statement is true at your school.
Always Sometimes Never Don’t Know
a) My school lets parents help in the school.
b) My school tells me and my family how to get help, like
getting food or seeing a doctor.
c) The school helps me and my family with our needs.
d) My school helps me and my family to be healthy.
What other ways can your school help students and their families? Please tell us more.
5. Please mark how often each statement is true at your school.
Always Sometimes Never Don’t Know
a) My school is open at night and on the weekends.
b) Students and our neighbors can go to my school to
get help, like classes for adults or food.
What other ways can your school help your neighbors? Please tell us more.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 1Student - English
6. Please mark how often each statement is true at your school.
Always Sometimes Never Don’t Know
a) At school, I learn about fixing problems, working with
others, and setting goals for myself.
b) At school, I learn about college choices.
c) At school, I learn about job choices.
What other ways can your school help students get ready for college or a job? Please tell us more.
7. Please mark how often each statement is true at your school.
Always Sometimes Never Don’t Know
a) My school teaches me what I need to do well in
school and life.
b) My school has a program that I can go to after school.
c) My school has a program that I can go to in the
summer.
d) My school has a program that I can go to before
school or during breaks (like Spring Break).
e) At my school, I learn how to fix real-life problems like
what to do when someone hurts my feelings or how to
keep track of my money.
f) My school gives students the help they need with
reading.
g) My school gives students the help they need with
math.
What other ways can your school help students learn? Please tell us more.
8. Please mark how often each statement is true at your school.
Always Sometimes Never Don’t Know
a) I have a say in what I learn or do at my school.
b) My school asks me questions about what I think about
my school.
c) I think my teachers know a lot about the classes they
teach.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 2Student - English
Always Sometimes Never Don’t Know
d) At my school, I do projects to help my neighborhood.
e) At my school, I learn about being a leader.
f) At my school, I can say what I think and feel without
people giving me a hard time.
What other ways can your school help students get ready for life after school is over? Please tell us more.
Please share the needs in your neighborhood. By “need,” we mean a gap between where we are and where we want to be. For
example, if your neighborhood does not have enough safe spaces for you to play, then your need is more and better parks.
9. What do the people who live in your neighborhood need? Please select no more than five (5).
Better bus, light rail, and other ways to get around Help working together to fix problems
Easier ways to see a doctor More and better businesses
Healthy food choices More and better choices for students when
not in school such as clubs, before and afterschool help, etc.
Help for parents and other adults such as English or GED classes More and better parks
Help with better ways to save and spend money More help for children with schoolwork such as
tutoring
Help to get and keep jobs Safe and healthy homes
Help learning how to be healthy, get fit, and eat right Strong and healthy families
Help for people who are using drugs or alcohol Safe places for children to play or hang out
Help for people with mental health challenges Safe streets/less violence
My neighborhood does not need any of these I have other ideas of what my neighborhood needs.
things. (Please tell us more): ___________________________
____________________________________________
10. If you would like, please share your thoughts. What would help meet the needs you checked off?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. What is your gender? __________________________________________________
12. How do you describe yourself? Select all that apply.
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian or Asian American
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White or Caucasian
Do not want to say
Other: ___________________________________________________________
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 3Student - English
13. Is there anything else you want to say about the needs of your school and/or neighborhood?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 4C STUDENT SURVEY - SPANISH
Estudiante - Español
Evaluación de las necesidades de la escuela comunitaria
Conoces tu escuela y tu vecindario. Por favor ayúdanos llenando esta encuesta. Tus respuestas nos dirán lo que tu escuela y vecindario pueden
necesitar. También nos dirán cosas maravillosas que están sucediendo en tu escuela ahora. Esta encuesta no debería tomar más de 15 minutos para
completar. Nadie sabrá qué respuestas diste. Puedes optar por realizar esta encuesta o no. ¡Gracias!
1. ¿Cuál es el nombre de la escuela? ________________________________________________
2. ¿Puedes caminar fácilmente desde tu casa a la escuela?
Sí
No
Si no, ¿en qué barrio vives? ____________________________________________
3. ¿En que grado estás?
3er grado 5to grado 7mo grado 9no grado 11vo grado
4to grado 6to grado 8vo grado 10mo grado 12vo grado
Otro (por favor especifique):_________________________________________________________
4. Marca con qué frecuencia cada afirmación es verdadera en tu escuela.
Siempre Algunas Nunca No sabe
veces
a) Mi escuela permite que los padres ayuden en la
escuela.
b) Mi escuela nos dice a mí y a mi familia cómo obtener
ayuda, como conseguir comida o ver a un médico.
c) La escuela me ayuda a mí y a mi familia con nuestras
necesidades.
d) Mi escuela me ayuda a mí y a mi familia a estar
saludables.
¿De qué otras formas puede tu escuela ayudar a los estudiantes y sus familias? Cuéntanos más.
5. Marca con qué frecuencia cada afirmación es verdadera en tu escuela.
Siempre Algunas Nunca No sabe
veces
a) Mi escuela está abierta por la noche y los fines de
semana.
b) Los estudiantes y nuestros vecinos pueden ir a mi
escuela para recibir ayuda, como clases para adultos o
comida.
¿De qué otras formas puede tu escuela ayudar a tus vecinos? Cuéntanos más.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 1Estudiante - Español
6. Marca con qué frecuencia cada afirmación es verdadera en tu escuela.
Siempre Algunas Nunca No sabe
veces
a) En la escuela, aprendo a solucionar problemas,
trabajar con otros y establecer metas para mí mismo.
b) En la escuela, aprendo sobre las opciones
universitarias.
c) En la escuela, aprendo sobre las opciones laborales.
¿De qué otras formas puede tu escuela ayudar a los estudiantes a prepararse para la universidad o un trabajo?
Cuéntanos más.
7. Marca con qué frecuencia cada afirmación es verdadera en tu escuela.
Siempre Algunas Nunca No sabe
veces
a) Mi escuela me enseña lo que tengo que hacer para
que me vaya bien en la escuela y en la vida.
b) Mi escuela tiene un programa al que puedo ir después
de clases.
c) Mi escuela tiene un programa al que puedo ir en
verano.
d) Mi escuela tiene un programa al que puedo ir antes
de clases o durante las vacaciones (como las vacaciones
de primavera).
e) En mi escuela, aprendo cómo solucionar problemas
de la vida real, como qué hacer cuando alguien hiere mis
sentimientos o cómo llevar un registro de mi dinero.
f) Mi escuela les brinda a los estudiantes la ayuda que
necesitan con la lectura.
g) Mi escuela les brinda a los estudiantes la ayuda que
necesitan con las matemáticas.
¿De qué otras formas puede tu escuela ayudar a los estudiantes a aprender? Cuéntanos más.
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 2Estudiante - Español
8. Marca con qué frecuencia cada afirmación es verdadera en tu escuela.
Siempre Algunas Nunca No sabe
veces
a) Tengo voz y voto en lo que aprendo o hago en mi
escuela.
b) Mi escuela me hace preguntas sobre lo que pienso de
ella.
c) Creo que mis profesores saben mucho sobre las clases
que imparten.
d) En mi escuela, hago proyectos para ayudar a mi
vecindario.
e) En mi escuela, aprendo a ser líder.
f) En mi escuela, puedo decir lo que pienso y siento sin
que la gente me haga pasar un mal rato.
¿De qué otras formas puede tu escuela ayudar a los estudiantes a prepararse para la vida después de que termine la
escuela? Cuéntanos más.
Comparte las necesidades de tu vecindario. Por "necesidad", nos referimos a una brecha entre dónde estamos y dónde queremos
estar. Por ejemplo, si tu vecindario no tiene suficientes espacios seguros para que juegues, entonces la necesidad son más y mejores
parques.
9. ¿Qué necesitan las personas que viven en tu vecindario? Selecciona no más de cinco (5).
Mejor autobús, tren ligero y otras formas de Ayudar a trabajar juntos para solucionar problemas
moverse
Formas más fáciles de ver a un médico Más y mejores negocios
Opciones de alimentos saludables Más y mejores opciones para los estudiantes cuando no
están en la escuela, como clubes, ayuda antes y después de clases, etc.
Ayuda para padres y otros adultos como clases de Más y mejores parques
inglés o GED
Ayuda para encontrar mejores formas de ahorrar y Más ayuda para los niños con las tareas escolares como
gastar dinero tutoría
Ayuda para conseguir y conservar trabajos Hogares seguros y saludables
Ayude a aprender a estar saludable, ponerse en Familias fuertes y saludables
forma y comer bien
Ayuda para personas que consumen drogas o Lugares seguros para que los niños jueguen o pasen el rato
alcohol
Ayuda para personas con problemas de salud Calles seguras y menos violencia
mental
Mi vecindario no necesita ninguno de estas cosas. Tengo otras ideas de lo que necesita mi vecindario.
(Cuéntanos más):____________________________________
__________________________________________________
©2021 Family League of Baltimore 3You can also read
