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Discussion: How to Engage All Stakeholders in Program Assessment
Stakeholder involvement and buy-in are arguably among the most important aspects of program Assessment. Without involvement and buy-in, Assessment efforts will fall short of its goals as comprehensive data collection will be invalid, or even worse, unobtainable.
What can you do as a leader to not only engage all stakeholders, but to help them to understand the importance of their active involvement?
In this Discussion, you revisit the in-service training at Connor Street Early Childhood Program.
The stakeholder discussion had been a lively one, and by the end, Sabrina and her colleagues were able to use the unique traits of each stakeholder group to create brief profiles:
Stakeholders
Profiles
Teachers
Teachers are new to the formal Assessment process. Children’s academic and social-emotional developmental areas are primary drivers. Assessments and data collection are already taking up a lot of time and there is much fear about how to juggle more Assessments.
Families
Family dynamics have changed over the last few years with many new families moving into the area. English is the second language for many heads-of-households. Kindergarten readiness and safe places to play are primary drivers. Almost all families work long days outside of the home.
Support Staff
The home-based manager splits her time with three other programs in the community. She checks in with Connor Street’s home-school liaison once a week. Her primary concerns are the monthly averages of home visit numbers and length of time spent at homes.
The health Helpant assumes multiple responsibilities throughout the day. She runs the clinic, tending to hurt or sick children, fills in at the front office when needed, and also counsels children who come to school upset. Once a year, she performs vision and hearing screening on each child who attends the program. Children’s health and well-being are her primary drivers.
Accrediting Agency
Accrediting agencies hold all programs accountable for achieving quality standards. The provision of educational and developmental services and resources are primary drivers.
Community
The community consists of working class and low-income families. Mainly residential, the community holds a handful of free events throughout the year such as movies on the lawn, fairs, and holiday celebrations. Though the community wants to give more, the lack of established businesses in the area negatively impacts the ability to hold fundraisers or food drives.
To prepare
Watch the media presentations in which presenters share how stakeholders were impacted by accreditation and Assessment processes. Then—with the Connor Street scenario in mind—review “Chapter 36, Section 3” and “Chapter 27, Section 1” of the Community Tool Box series. Though written in a community health context, consider how the interests and needs of all stakeholders are taken into account when designing and implementing Assessments. As an early childhood leader, how can you build upon this best practice to engage early childhood professionals, staff, and families in the Assessment process? Furthermore, how might you ensure that engagement efforts are culturally and linguistically responsive?
By Day 3 of Week 5
Post the following: Briefly explain how you might engage each of the stakeholder groups presented in the scenario. Then, explain which stakeholder groups might be the most difficult to engage and why. Describe potential barriers that might prevent effective engagement. Support your response with in-text citations and references from the required readings and viewings by following the APA style guide.
Read selections of your colleagues’ postings.
responses
By Day 7 of Week 5
Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ postings in the following way:
1. For each response, propose a solution for overcoming one or more engagement barriers identified in colleagues’ posts.
2. For each response, explain how the proposed solution takes into account cultural and linguistic abilities of all stakeholder groups.
3. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made and the connections you have made with the Learning Resources.
Cite appropriate references in APA format to substantiate your thinking.
Extend your responses – Note: Throughout the week, continue professional dialogue with colleagues by answering questions colleagues have asked. Demonstrate your personal learning as a result of collegial interaction.
Submission Information
https://cdn-media.waldenu.edu/2dett4d/Walden/EDDD/8084/CH/mm/audio_interviews/module3.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wahgefv7waY
https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/data-ongoing-monitoring
http://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/7-1.pdf
https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/measuring-what-matters-exercises-02.pdf
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How Can All Stakeholders Be Involved in Program Assessment?
One of the most crucial parts of program Assessment is stakeholder involvement and buy-in. Without participation and buy-in, Assessment initiatives will fall short of their objectives, as thorough data collection will be ineffective, if not impossible to accomplish.
What can you do as a leader to not just engage but also enable all stakeholders appreciate the necessity of their active participation?
You revisit the in-service training at Connor Street Early Childhood Program in this Discussion.
The stakeholder debate had been lively, and by the end, Sabrina and her colleagues had been able to build concise profiles based on the distinctive characteristics of each stakeholder group:
Stakeholders
Profiles
Teachers
Teachers are new to the classroom.
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