Evaluation and Accountability

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Definition

Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA) defines "Evaluation" as:

Evaluation procedures, methods, and tools used to initially identify a gifted child, assess and monitor the child's progress, and evaluate the child and the gifted program. Evaluation includes, but need not be limited to:

Identifying the child's unique strengths, interests, and needs;
Monitoring the child's academic achievement and growth and affective goals;
Identifying the priorities and concerns of the child's family and resources to which the family and the child's school have access; and
Determining program strengths and areas for program improvement. [12.01(15)(a-d)]

Accountability may be described as the responsibilities of the administrative unit (AU) to gather, analyze and report data for the purpose of identifying programming strengths, determining areas for continuous improvement, and complying with state accreditation and monitoring requirements.

Description

Gifted Program Evaluation

Program evaluation is a systemic, comprehensive appraisal of the AU's gifted education program plan and drives future decision making for continuous improvement.

It relies on using meaningful data, such as gifted identification demographics, Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) goal attainment, student performance on state and local assessments, financial expenditures, and responses from stakeholder surveys and/or focus groups.

Components of a program evaluation include:

Reviewing the AU's Comprehensive Program Plan to determine attainment status of improvement areas and elements of focus
Monitoring and measuring gifted students' achievement and affective growth and development
Analyzing annual gifted demographics to ensure equal and equitable access
Soliciting periodic feedback from stakeholders (Stakeholders include: administrators, teachers, parents, families, and students)

Accountability

Evaluation supports the AU’s efforts for state and local accountability requirements. Components of accountability include:

Submitting the AU's Extended Budget Report
Submitting the Unified Improvement Plan for Gifted Education
Participating in the Gifted Education Monitoring (GEM) process

Conducting a Program Evaluation

ECEA Rules for Evaluation and Accountability

The Exceptional Children’s Educational Act (ECEA) is Colorado’s primary law with requirements for the implementation of specific elements and procedures for gifted education. ECEA Rules contain a specific section defining key requirements for the element, Evaluation and Accountability. However, it is noted that all elements within the Rules contain indicators that support an AU’s systemic process for program evaluation. Data collected helps drive decision making and program development. For more information about the components of a comprehensive program evaluation, access the Program Evaluation web page.

Evaluation and Accountability Procedures 12.02(2)(i)

The comprehensive program plan shall describe the AU’s procedures for evaluation and accountability including, but not limited to:

12.02(2)(i)(i) Unified improvement plan addendum methods by which gifted student performance is monitored and measured for continual learning progress and how such methods align with the state accreditation process (e.g., annual UIP gifted education addendum, multi-district/BOCES summary, intervention progress monitoring data sources, ALP goals, and performance, district, and/or state assessment data). These methods include UIP elements such as annual gifted student performance target(s) and an action plan to meet the target(s) and a timeline to report on progress toward targets;

12.02(2)(i)(ii) Methods by which student affective growth is monitored and measured for continual development (e.g., rubrics for personal journals and anecdotal data, student surveys, demonstration of self-advocacy, and student career and/or college plans);

12.02(2)(i)(iii) Methods for ensuring that gifted student performance (achievement and growth) and reporting are consistent with state accreditation and accountability requirements (i.e., disaggregation of state assessment data for gifted students, identification of discrepancies in the data, goal setting and demonstration of achievement and growth); and

12.02(2)(i)(iv) Methods for self-evaluation of the gifted program including a schedule for periodic feedback and review (e.g., review of gifted policy, goals, identification process, programming components, personnel, budget and reporting practices, and the impact of gifted programming on student achievement and progress); and

12.02(2)(i)(v) Methods by which parents, educators, and other required persons are informed about the methods described in 12.02(2)(i)(i-iv) above.

Advanced Learning Plan 12.02(2)(f)(ii)
A working-document section of the ALP. This portion of the ALP records annual measurable, attainable achievement and affective goals and progress.

Budget 12.02(2)(k)(i)

The AU shall include in the annual plan a budget for gifted education which reflects the collaborative efforts of the AU and cost of implementing the program elements and the student goals stated in the annual comprehensive program plan.

Identification Procedures12.02(2)(c)(i)

A method(s) to ensure equal and equitable access for all students. The program plan shall describe the efforts that the AU will make to identify gifted students from all populations, including preschool (if applicable) through twelfth grade students, minority students, economically diverse students, culturally diverse students, students with limited English proficiency and children with disabilities.

Resources for Evaluation and Accountability

Conducting an AU Program Evaluation

Program Evaluation

Gifted Education Monitoring

Gifted Education Monitoring (GEM)

Other Resources

Note: If you are not able to access the resources or need additional support, please contact the Office of Gifted Education Program Administrator.

Note: If you are not able to access the resources or need additional support, please contact the Office of Gifted Education Program Administrator