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Session Title: Dialogues Between Internal and External Evaluators: Evaluating Program Impacts on the Academic Achievement of Homeless/Highly Mobile Children in Minneapolis Public Schools
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Panel Session 516 to be held in Suwannee 14 on Friday, Nov 13, 10:55 AM to 11:40 AM
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Sponsored by the Pre-K - 12 Educational Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Leah Goldstein Moses, The Improve Group, leah@theimprovegroup.com
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| Abstract:
This session stems from dialogues between an internal evaluator and an external evaluator on how to examine program impact on the academic achievement of homeless/highly mobile children in Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). Research and Evaluation staff from MPS will explain their use of a multi-phrase longitudinal analysis approach. Using available quantitative data in this approach, MPS examines program impact on average and on individual achievement growth of homeless/highly mobile students before, during, and after an intervention. The Improve Group, an independent consultant hired by a public-private partnership which runs a program for homeless/highly mobile students in MPS, will share how de-identified quantitative data and qualitative data was used to help the partnership understand student challenges and program impact. Presentations will address the kinds of questions which can and cannot be answered by these different approaches and what the evaluators have learned from different perspectives and tensions and opportunities in collaboration.
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Applying Multiphase Longitudinal Analysis to Evaluate Program Impact on the Achievement Growth of Homeless/Highly Mobile Students
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| Chi-Keung Chan, Minneapolis Public Schools, alex.chan@mpls.k12.mn.us
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| Elizabeth Hinz, Minneapolis Public Schools, elizabeth.hinz@mpls.k12.mn.us
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Like many urban school districts, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) serves thousands of homeless/highly mobile students. MPS has been concentrating tremendous efforts to identify these students and provide equal schooling and academic support to them in compliance with the McKinney-Vento Act. Alex Chan is an internal evaluator for the District who is responsible for the homeless/highly mobile student program evaluations. The privilege of his position is that he is able to access to substantial individual-level data, and he has advanced knowledge of academic assessment measurement and statistics. Alex has used these assets to conduct evaluations and research on homeless student issues. He also works with Elizabeth Hinz, the District's homeless liaison, to present the findings to educators and policy-makers. In his presentation, Chan will illustrate how to apply the multiphase longitudinal matched-sample analysis in homeless/highly mobile student program evaluations. He will also discuss the limitations of this approach.
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Kids Collaborative: An Independent Program Evaluation of How Family Support Impacts Homeless Student Achievement
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| Rebecca Stewart, The Improve Group, beckys@theimprovegroup.com
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The Improve Group is an independent evaluation firm hired by the partnership which created the Kids Collaborative program. The program provides housing, case management and other support for the families of homeless/highly mobile students in Minneapolis Public Schools. The presenter has managed this evaluation for two years; the evaluation design includes pre- and post-intervention measures and a mixed-method design. The evaluator has access to summary data for participants from Minneapolis Public Schools, de-identified data from Minneapolis Public Housing and case file data from Lutheran Social Service (program partners). Qualitative data from family and teacher interviews contributes to a deeper understanding of the impact of household dynamics on student achievement and teacher perspectives on factors critical to student achievement. The presentation will discuss the advantages and limitations of such an approach in attempting to evaluate the impact of this program on homeless students' school achievement.
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