Project Evaluation

1. Project Evaluation • The purpose of the Project Evaluation is to systematically assess the ongoing status of the SS/HS Project by providing timely information for creating strategic plans, measuring progress, and keeping the project focused on the overall objectives. • The Project Evaluation must describe the evaluation planning process (including but not limited to how the data will be collected, reported, analyzed for required TRAC and GPRA performance measures) and how the Project Evaluation will support data driven decision making with the goal of continuous improvement process. • The Project Evaluation Plan must describe specific strategies used to implement both process and outcome evaluations.

2. Examples of Outcome and Process Questions • Outcome Questions (Examples-Not Exhaustive) • What was the effect of the strategic planning process and implementation of selected interventions on key outcome goals? • How effectively did the project reach populations at high risk for mental, emotional and behavioral disorders and violence? • What were the barriers to interagency collaboration, partnership development, and shared decision making and how they were addressed? • What factors were associated with the development of the Comprehensive Plan? • Process Questions (Examples-Not Exhaustive) • How closely did the implementation match the Comprehensive Plan at both the state and LEA/community levels? • How did the project engage families and youth? • What policies at the state and LEA/community levels facilitated or hindered implementation of the Comprehensive Plan? • What types of changes were made to address behavioral health disparities and disparities in school discipline, including the use of the CLAS standards, and best practices for cultural and linguistic competence? • How did collaborative decision making with the state as well as LEA/community partnerships support or hinder implementation of the Comprehensive Plan?

3. SS/HS Project: Interconnected systems framework Positive Behavior Intervention & Support Systems of Care

4. State performance measures • Quarterly Reporting • The number of individuals who have received training in prevention or mental health promotion. • The number of people in mental health and related workforce trained in mental health related practices/activities that are consistent with the goals of the grant. • The number of state and local policy changes completed as a result of the grant. • The number of organizations that entered into formal written inter/intra-organizational agreements (e.g. MOUs/MOAs) to improve mental health related practices/activities that are consistent with the goals of the grant. • Data Gathering • The above information will be gathered using the Transformation Accountability System (TRAC). • The collection of these data will enable reporting on National Outcome Measures (NOMS).

5. LEA & Local Community performance measures • Annual Reporting: Each LEA and their local community partners will collect and report Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRA) data annually. The GPRA performance measures are: • The total number of children and youth served as a result of implementing strategies identified in the pilot community’s Comprehensive Plan (Data Source =Records). • The total number of students who received school based mental health services (Data Source=Records). • The percentage of mental health service referrals for students which resulted in mental health services being provided in the community (Data source=Referrals and Records). • The percentage of students who report consuming alcohol on 1 or more occasions during the past 30 days (Data Source=Student Survey). • The percentage of students who reported being in a physical fight on school property during the current school year (Data Source=Student Survey). • The percentage of students who did not go to school on one or more days during the past thirty days because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to and from school (Data Source=Student Survey). • Special Note: The LEAs and their respective local community partners will be required to report the above information in their annual and final performance reports. They will be required to comply with data collection and reporting requirements related to a national multi-site evaluation of the SS/HS State Planning, LEA and Local Community Cooperative Agreements.

6. NatIONAL multi-site evaluation (mse) • The state along with the LEA and respective local community partners are expected to participate fully in the MSE and will receive on-going training on the MSE protocols, procedures and common date collection tools and measures. • To the extent possible, TRAC and GPRA performance measures will be aligned with measures in the MSE to minimize duplication of effort in data collecting and reporting. All attempts will be made to collect data in a streamline and minimally burdensome manner.

7. Evaluation team • Need to establish an “Evaluation Team” with key representation. • The “Evaluation Team” will be composed of: • 2-3 lead professionals from each LEA/Community Partnership; • 2-3 lead professionals from state level systems; and • Project Evaluation Staff • The “Evaluation Team” will convene on a scheduled basis through virtual platforms as well as traditional methods.