A program evaluation is a valuable tool for school districts that seek to strengthen the quality of their programs and improve outcomes for students. Program evaluations provide actionable information on district initiatives, increase transparency and accountability within a district, and help leaders to make evidence based decisions.

We invite you to explore the different types of evaluations we offer below. All of our program evaluations can be tailored to meet the individual needs of your district. 

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Program Evaluation

Providing inclusive services that meet quality standards for students with disabilities and other student populations is a challenging task for educational leaders. Inclusive practices touch virtually every aspect of education—instructional delivery, staffing for appropriate supports, increased collaboration across all educators and building a culture of shared responsibility for all.  An essential component of effective inclusive education is a process for evaluating the status of services within the context of best practices and with a focus on continuous improvement.  Such evaluations must provide objective observations and clear recommendations for moving change forward at the district, school and classroom levels.

Stetson & Associates, Inc. has a comprehensive process for program evaluation that assists districts in determining the quality of current practices, the factors impacting the quality of services, and the actions necessary for improving outcomes. We have applied this process in districts of all sizes throughout the United States.  This comprehensive process involves gathering information from a variety of stakeholders using multiple methodologies, analyzing rich data, and publishing a written report that contains the major findings and recommendations and a rich collection of practical tools to facilitate implementation of key recommendations.

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Program Review

The purpose of a review is to provide district administrators with the information that will guide them in meeting a dual test: services for students that are embedded in effective practices research and the best use of available resources. Stetson & Associates, Inc. uses an approach to determine the factors that are impacting the quality of services for students with disabilities and make recommendations for continuous improvement. A Program Review is not a comprehensive Program Evaluation, rather it is a review of services and other information that can support the district in decisions to enhance the quality of services for students with disabilities.

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Staffing Study

A staffing review is a complex undertaking and must be thorough in its approach in order to provide district and school administrators with the information that will guide them in meeting a dual test: services for students that are embedded in effective practices research and the best use of available resources. Stetson & Associates uses a comprehensive approach for staffing reviews that considers four critical elements:

  1. Does the district have sufficient staff to provide special education services for students with disabilities?
  2. Does the district utilize the special education staff in an efficient manner?
  3. Is the staff assigned to serve students with disabilities effective?
  4. Are the staffing practices for students with disabilities appropriate?

The task of determining staffing needs at a school and across a district is challenging because the type and level of support required for each student is determined on an individual basis through the IEP committee, yet these student-by-student decisions are significantly impacted by numerous contextual variables. These variables include, but are not limited to, philosophy of administrators and teachers, school leadership factors, classroom practices that support diverse learners, the degree of collaboration and joint ownership for all learners across the entire faculty, and the ability of the leaders to organize the delivery of services through innovative scheduling and staffing practices.

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Speech Pathology Services Review

According to the IDEA Part B Child Count and Educational Environments Collection, 2017-2018,  students with a speech or language Impairment are the second largest category of students served  (19.5%) after specific learning disabilities (34.0%). The emphasis for districts must now be continuous  and careful consideration of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) which encompasses evaluation criteria, frequency, duration and location of speech pathology services. Additionally, progress toward  the integration of speech and language goals with educational standards and implementation across educational settings. Likewise, collaboration among parents, teachers, campuses, central office administrators and the community is viewed as a critical necessity. The requirements of IDEA and  the ever-increasing accountability standards districts have caused schools to critically examine the evaluation methods, eligibility standards, delivery and quality of Speech Pathology services.

Stetson & Associates, Inc. uses a comprehensive process to examine considerations for eligibility determinations, the aspects of the evaluation process, the quality of speech pathology services, and the workload associated with a school based speech pathology program.

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Folder Review

A comprehensive folder review is an internal monitoring process of special education programs and services.  The purpose for this review is twofold:

  1. measure compliance with state and federal laws and district policies and procedures
  2. to increase knowledge of Special Education requirements members of an IEP meeting

The review also includes a review of Full Individual Evaluation reports which determined the recommendation for Special Education eligibility and services.

Stetson & Associates, Inc. has a comprehensive process to examine the compliance and quality indicators documented within a student’s Special Education folder including the Individual Education Plan. This service can be an added component to any other service our firm provides.

Kind Words from our Clients

"Dr. Stetson and her associates have been a very positive influence in our district. I feel we are moving forward with our vision of inclusive schools thanks to the help of Stetson & Associates."

Clear Creek ISD