SPED 7701: Program Evaluation & Planning Proposal

(PEPP)

Directions and Scoring Guidelines

The Purpose of the PEPP:  

● Create a program evaluation and planning proposal for a special education program or delivery model.  

Course Objectives the PEPP Addresses:

1.     Develop a working knowledge of appropriate assessment procedures and related definitions [CEC Advanced Standards: 1, 2 & 4]

2.     Develop strategies to address the special curriculum needs of diverse learners [CEC Advanced Standard: 2]

3.     Survey appropriate methods for program evaluation [CEC Advanced Standard: 3]

4.     Evaluate one component of the special education program [CEC Advanced Standard: 4]

 

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Advanced Standards the PEPP Addresses:

●      CEC Advanced Preparation Standard 1: Assessment  

●      CEC Advanced Preparation Standard 2: Curricular Content Knowledge

●      CEC Advanced Preparation Standard 3: Programs, Services, and Outcomes

●      CEC Advanced Preparation Standard 4: Research and Inquiry

●      CEC Advanced Preparation Standard 6: Professional and Ethical Practice

 

The Task:  

 

●      Choose one of these listed settings of the Georgia Department of Education (GA DOE) special education program delivery models (inclusion, collaborative, co-teaching, consultative, or specialized placement), or a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) program, or another pre-approved program (email instructor for approval).  

●      Develop a proposed plan for program evaluation designed to improve student and program outcomes. The plan should consist of the following 5 sections noted below. ● Use the PEPP Template linked here.   

●      Before, during, and after writing your PEPP, please review the PEPP rubric, linked here.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.     Part One: Define the Program and the Evaluation Problem (2-4 pages)

 

a.      List and describe the special education delivery model or program chosen. Use research/citations in your description.

b.     Rationale: describe why you chose to evaluate the particular program.  

c.      Describe the following quality features of the program:  

○ Staff Qualifications and Expertise. Describe:  

■ Staff’s years of experience, educational background, etc

■ Staff’s expert knowledge of policies and regulations

■ Staff’s expertise in meeting social-emotional and behavioral needs

■ Describe if the staff receives regular professional development ○ Education Opportunities and Learning Environment. Describe:  

■ Students’ access to the general curriculum

■ The positive learning environment

■ The students’ engagement ■ The family support and engagement ○ Effective Education Practices. Describe:  

■ The data-driven decision-making in the program

■ The staff’s use of culturally competent practices

■ The secondary transition, if applicable ■ The part C to B transition, if applicable ○ Teamwork and Collaboration. Describe:  

■ The team and/or collaborative approach in the program ■ The creativity of the collaborative approaches or teaming ○ School-Community Partnerships. Describe:  

■ The community partnerships of the program you are evaluating ■ If your program is adequately funded.

d. Describe your focus for this program evaluation.   

○ Are there one or more quality feature(s) from above that you plan to focus on for this program evaluation? Or, is there another area to which you plan to focus?  

 

2.     Part Two: Logic Model (approximately 2 pages: 1 page for the model, 1 page for the narrative)

 

a.      Create a logic model for your target program.

b.     Describe your logic model in a one-page narrative. Components of this section may include a description of the concept, context, implementation process, and outcomes of the program.

3.     Part Three: Type of Program Evaluation (2-4 pages)

 

a.      What type of program evaluation are you considering? Explain. (for example types, see: Chen (2015) Table 2.1 and CDC Types of Evaluation in Module 4). Type options include: formative, process/implementation, outcome/effectiveness, impact, constructive, conclusive, and/or hybrid.

b.     Outline the process you will use for conducting your evaluation.  ○ Supports to review:  

■ Formative evaluation (six basic steps outlined in chapter 6).

■ CDC Evaluation Framework  

●      Video Explanation from the CDC (9 minutes)

●      CDC Evaluation Steps

●      Brief Overview of Framework

●      Summary of Framework

●      Longer Evaluation Explanation

c.      Discuss your role and responsibility as the evaluator in the process. ○ Tip: Use 3rd person tense (The evaluator will…)  

 

4.     Part Four: Program Evaluation Approach (2-3 pages)

 

a.      Outline the questions you want to evaluate regarding your program.  

b.     List the data sources you will use to answer your evaluation questions.  

○ Resources:  

■ CDC Indicators

■ Indicator Checklist

■ CDC Using Indicators

c.      Attach or include at least one example measure you will use.  

d.     Why did you choose those assessment measures mentioned above?  

e.      Discuss the validity of the assessment measures.  

f.       Discuss the reliability of the assessment measures.  

g.     Discuss the bias that might be found in the assessment measure.

 

5.     Part Five:  Hypothetical Planning & Reflection (2-3 pages)

            Note: At this point, the evaluation is complete, and you have your hypothetical results.

 

a.      Discuss a plan for developing and disseminating a set of recommendations based on the evaluation results (only discuss the plan here, not the recommendations)

b.     Describe if you think the program would be considered of quality or effectiveness? Why or why not?   

c.      List the potential solutions or recommendations you could provide, based on the hypothetical evaluation. This is the planning section – how you could make this program more effective. Include citations from academic references.

d.     As the hypothetical evaluator, describe where you might find barriers or challenges in completing the evaluation. Are there components of the evaluation that you believe you would be able to complete with ease?  

Tips for Success:

 Use APA 7th edition format throughout the paper and for references. Be sure to cite all sources of information. Include a cover page, running heading, and reference list.  

Double-space and use Times New Roman font, size 12 points.   

 Grammar/Mechanics: Graduate-level writing is expected. Check your spelling, subject/verb agreement, use of correct pronoun/antecedent words, capitalizing only proper nouns, etc.

 Be concise: Use tables, graphics, or bulleted points to summarize data. Always provide a narrative to explain/describe the data presented.

 Protect Confidentiality: If applicable, use pseudonyms for schools, districts, and/or students.  Include this information when you identify the problem and target population.

 Make it relevant: Consider your role as an educational specialist to be one of a leader who affects change.

 Use 3rd person tense, such as “the evaluator,” rather than 1st person tense: “I” or “We.”

 This should be your own work conducted in this course as an individual assignment. Plagiarism software will be used. If it is deemed that you plagiarized, you will make a zero on the assignment.  

 Approximate page numbers are listed. The quality of the content is more important than the number of pages.  

 Use the template provided. 

Key Considerations for your PEPP.  

Consider these questions when creating your project:  

1.     For what purposes is the evaluation being conducted? What do you want to be able to decide as a result of the evaluation?

2.     Who is the audience for the information of the evaluation? There may be more than one audience.  

3.     What kinds of information are needed to make the decision?  

4.     From what sources should the information be collected? Administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, students, program documentation?  

5.     How can that information be collected in a reasonable fashion, e.g., through questionnaires, interviews, examining documentation, observing customers or employees, conducting focus groups?  

6.     What resources are available to collect the information?

7.     Remember to use the PEPP template.  

 Scoring Guidelines are on the Next Two Pages

 Click here for the PEPP rubric

 How the project will be graded:  

 

Part One: Define the Evaluation Problem ●      Describe the special education delivery model or program chosen.   ●      Rationale: describe why you chose to evaluate the particular program.   ●      Describe the quality features of the program.   ●      Describe the program evaluation focus and purpose.   ●      Use of at least 2 references/citations.	20 points
Part Two: Logic Model ●      Create a logic model for your target program. ●      Describe the logic model, such as the concept, context, implementation process, and outcomes of the program.	8 points
Part Three: Type of Program Evaluation ●      Describe the type of program evaluation you are considering conducting. Options include: formative, process/implementation, outcome/effectiveness, impact, constructive, conclusive, and/or hybrid. Explain your decision. ●      Outline the process you use for conducting your evaluation.   ●      Discuss how you would conduct the program review/development meeting and involve key stakeholders.   ●      Discuss your role and responsibility as the evaluator in the process.	16 points
Part Four: Program Evaluation Approach ●      Outline the questions you want to evaluate regarding your program.   ●      What data (assessment measures) will you collect to answer your evaluation questions.   ●      Attach or include at least one example measure you will use.   ●      Why did you choose those assessment measures mentioned above?   ●      Discuss the validity of the assessment measures.   ●      Discuss the reliability of the assessment measures.   ●      Discuss the bias that might be found in the assessment measure.	20 points
Part Five: Program Planning, and Hypothetical Results & Reflection ●      Discuss a plan for developing and disseminating a set of recommendations based on the evaluation results (only discuss the plan here, not the actual recommendations).   ●      Describe if you think the program would be considered of quality or effectiveness? Why or why not?    ●      List the potential solutions or recommendations you could provide, based on the hypothetical evaluation. This is the planning section – how the program can be more effective. Include citations from academic references.	20 points
● As the hypothetical evaluator, describe where you might find barriers or challenges in completing the evaluation. Are there components of the evaluation that you believe you would be able to complete with ease?
Final Considerations: ●      APA Formatting (7th edition) ●      Correct Spelling / Grammar / Mechanics ●      Use of tables, graphics, or bulleted points to summarize data with narrative.   ●      Relevance: Consider your role as an education leader who affects change.   ●      Professionalism ●      Confidentiality Protected: Use pseudonyms for schools, districts, and/or students.   ●      3rd person tense is used: use “evaluator” instead of “I” or “me.”   ●      Person-first language: use “student with autism” instead of “the autistic student.”   ●      At least 5 high quality resources used and cited.   ●      Submitted by the due dates.	16 points
Total Possible Points	100 pts