Title I, Part D Nonregulatory Guidance Program Evaluations (Part D, Subpart 3)

Q-1. What are program evaluation requirements for Subpart 1 and 2 programs?

Each SA or LEA that conducts a program for children and youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at-risk under Subparts 1 or 2 must evaluate the program—disaggregating data on participation by gender, race, ethnicity, and age while protecting individual student privacy—not less than once every three years to determine the program’s effect on the ability of participants—

1. To maintain and improve educational achievement and to graduate from high school in the number of years established by the State under either the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate or the extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, if applicable;
2. To accrue school credits that meet State requirements for grade promotion and high school graduation;
3. To make the transition to a regular program or other education program operated by an LEA or school operated by the Bureau of Indian Education;
4. To complete high school (or high school equivalency requirements) and obtain employment after leaving the correctional facility or institution for neglected or delinquent children and youth; and
5. As appropriate, participate in postsecondary education and job training.
   (ESEA section 1431(a)).
   Although not required, SAs and LEAs are encouraged to disaggregate data for students with disabilities, English learners, or other groups. In conducting each evaluation, an SA or LEA must use multiple and appropriate measures of student progress. (ESEA section 1431(c)).

Although not required, SAs and LEAs are encouraged to disaggregate data for students with disabilities, English learners, or other groups. In conducting each evaluation, an SA or LEA must use multiple and appropriate measures of student progress. (ESEA section 1431(c)).

Q-2. How do SEAs meet the requirement to evaluate and improve Title I, Part D programs for participating children and youth?

Each SA and LEA must:

1. Submit evaluation results to the SEA and the Department.
2. Use the results of evaluations to plan and improve subsequent programs for participating children and youth.

(ESEA section 1431(d)).

To facilitate the evaluation and improvement of Title I, Part D programs consistent with the above requirements, each SEA must annually submit data from SAs and LEAs operating Title I, Part D programs through EDFacts for inclusion in the Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR)(see ESEA section 8303). For example, to evaluate the program’s effect on the ability of participants to maintain and improve educational achievement, SEAs must submit data through EDFacts annually on the growth of students served under Title I, Part D for at least 90 consecutive days who took both initial and follow up assessments in mathematics and reading/language arts. Assessments should be conducted upon entry of a child or youth into a placement or correctional facility, and follow-up assessments should be conducted when a student has been in the program for at least 90 days. SEAs must submit additional data related to the other required program evaluation components, including data on students who earned a GED, obtained a high school diploma, earned high school course credits, were accepted and/or enrolled in postsecondary education, enrolled in job training courses or programs, or obtained employment.

Data submitted to the Department are aggregated at the State level and made public on the Department’s website. The Department strongly encourages SEAs to also ensure that valid and reliable performance data is publicly available on their websites, while protecting individual student privacy.

As noted above, SAs and LEAs must use the data submitted to the Department through their SEA to plan and improve the Title I, Part D programs they operate (see ESEA section 1431(d)). Title I, Part D programs should be designed with the expectation that children and youth will have the opportunity to meet the same challenging State academic content and academic achievement standards that all children and youth in the State are expected to meet. To the extent feasible, evaluations should be tied to the standards and assessment system that the State or LEA has developed for all children and youth. For additional information on developing a program evaluation, the Regional Educational Laboratory Central has developed a Program Evaluation Toolkit that can support programs and agencies in developing, analyzing, and presenting evaluation data.