A comprehensive needs assessment should identify gaps between a school's current performance and its goals. It provides direction by determining priorities and resources to maximize impact. The assessment involves gathering both qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources to develop goals and monitor implementation. It is critical for a planning team to conduct the needs assessment and analyze the data to identify root causes and priorities. The results should be used to create SMART goals and select strategies to meet identified needs.

1. A Guide for Comprehensive Needs AssessmentBy the Colorado Department of Education

2. What is a needs assessment? The overall purpose of a comprehensive needs assessment is to “identify gaps between the current status of the school and its vision of where it wants to be, relative to key indicators or focus areas" (Nonregulatory Guidance, p. 14). Requirements for program-level needs assessments are connected to the purpose of the program. It also provides direction, allows staff to determine priorities and resources to create greatest impact, creates cohesion through alignment of goals, strategies, and desired outcomes; enables monitoring of implementation and impact; helps identify change and which strategies are working.

3. Dimensions of a Comprehensive Needs AssessmentComponents: determined by local context, considering a range of issues; variety of sources; results in development of goals; include regular follow upFocus: focus on the factors that have the potential to impact student achievement. Should include: dropout, attendance, and graduation rates; professional development; family and community involvement, etc.Information Gathering: standardized summative or formative assessments, qualitative data, AYP status, graduation/ attendance rates, and demographicsPlanning Teams: CRITICAL and should include all parts of the systemUse of Results: identify goals and action plans

4. Planning for a Comprehensive Needs AssessmentDevelop a Needs Assessment Committee (NAC)Include key district and school personnel, as well as external stakeholders.Prepare management plan Identify concerns and issuesIdentify measuresDecide preliminary prioritiesDesign comprehensive needs assessmentIdentify measures to use (focus groups, budgets, proposals, interviews, census data, etc.)

5. Data Collection and AnalysisData collection and analysis consists of three parts: collecting existing data, collecting new data to address the gaps not covered by existing data, and analyzing data to identify needs. Can look at: student demographics, student achievement data, curriculum and instruction, professional development, technology, family/ community involvement measuresCollecting valid and reliable data is a concern in comprehensive needs assessment. Collecting data from multiple sources and including multiple stakeholders in the analysis process contribute to the reliability and validity of the data that are collected.Once data are collected there are a number of statistical strategies that can be used for analysis. All must prioritize needs, identify root causes, summarize findings, and make decisions

6. PlanningA good comprehensive needs assessment should easily be usable as a basis for comprehensive planning. SMART goals engage in planning that is clearly connected to a needs assessment and needs analysis.Specific

7. Measurable

8. Attainable

9. Realistic