Thinking Beyond Surveys: Developing an Assessment Plan

for Your DS Office

Kristie Orr, Ph.D.

Director, Disability Services

and

Paul Harwell, M.A.

Accommodations Counselor

Texas A&M University

Learning Outcomes

• Participants will be able to list and define the basic components of a comprehensive assessment plan

• Participants will be able to identify resources for developing their assessment plans

Why is Assessment Important?

• Guides decisions

• Necessary for accreditation

• Required by many universities

• Justifies our necessity

Components of an Assessment Plan

• Mission Statement

• Goals

• Objectives

• Measures

• Outcomes

• Action Plans

Mission Statement

• According to Wikipedia: A mission statement is a formal, short, written statement of the purpose of a company or organization.

• Example: Disability Services promotes an academic experience for students with disabilities that is fully inclusive and accessible.

Goals

• Should be in alignment with DS/University/Division mission, goals, strategic plans, etc.

• Should be clear and explicitly stated

• More broad than outcomes or objectives

Outcomes/Objectives

• More specific than goals

• Learning outcomes– What will students know or be able to do?

• Program outcomes– Effectiveness– Satisfaction

Objectives

• Specific

• Measureable

• Attainable

• Reasonable

• Timely

Measures and Achievement Targets

• Quantitative– Numbers based– Objective

• Qualitative– Smaller sample size– More in-depth knowledge– More difficult interpretation

Measures

• Quantitative– Surveys– Tracking

– Qualitative

Focus groups

Open-ended interviews or questionnaires

Findings

• What are your results?

• How do you interpret the results?

• Who do you share the results with?– You should know this BEFORE you begin

What do you do with findings?

• Data analysis

• Report writing

• Where do results go?– Website?– Up the chain?– To the constituents?

Action Plans

• Now what???

• Should develop action plans as soon as reasonable

Resources

• CAS Standards

• AHEAD Program Standards

• Your institution’s mission, goals, strategic plans, etc.

• Your division’s mission, goals, strategic plans, etc.