Evidence-Based Interventions: Using ARP Resources to Accelerate Learning
In the Evidence-Based Interventions: Using ARP Resources to Accelerate Learning Community of Practice (EBI Community), cross-departmental SEA teams actively engage in shared inquiry to identify and collectively address problems of practice related to ensuring effective and sustainable use of ARP funding to support learning recovery/learning acceleration. Through the use of improvement science and peer exchanges, SEA teams deepen their capacity to support LEAs in the use of evidence-based interventions to Accelerate Learning.
Community Co-Leads
Jack Schwarz
Barbara Crock
Danielle Crain
Year 2: The Investment Grid
Objective
State teams will review, adapt and use The Investment Grid to support LEAs in evaluating evidence-based intervention
investment and consider costs and outcomes to inform sustainability strategies of selection and deselection.
Driving Question
How do we better support LEAs in gathering data regarding evidence-based intervention costs and
impact to inform choices to support sustainability decisions for FY25?
SEA Spotlight on Practice: New Mexico
CCNetwork Resources
The Investment Grid: Linking Costs and Outcomes
National Comprehensive Center partner, Edunomics Lab, shares a tool to help leaders assess current investments and finalize spending plans to do the most for students. Customize this tool to compare investments of different strategies and dosages for a particular evidence-based intervention or across different interventions for the same students. In addition to financial costs, the tool requires consideration of desired outcomes and risks.
School Spending & Outcomes Snapshot: Data Displays That Work - Webinar Recording
In this session we launched the School Spending & Outcomes Snapshot, a new resource for hosting a variety of conversations about spending, resource allocation and school improvement. National Comprehensive Center partner Edunomics Lab shared findings from a two-year research project with 26 diverse LEAs to test data displays and build the School Spending & Outcomes Snapshot.
External Resources
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Time to Change the District Budget Dance
Getting maximum value from available dollars is imperative, and may require some changes to the traditional budget process.
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School Spending & Outcomes Snapshot
The School Spending & Outcomes Snapshot allows users to view and print data visualizations to explore spending and outcomes data in order to foster thoughtful conversations to improve equity and outcomes in their school communities.
Year 2: Using Logic Models
Objective
State teams will review, adapt and use logic models to supporting monitoring and effective communication of evidence-based practices.
Driving Questions
- How do we communicate a theory of action - connecting resources/inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes?
- What are we currently monitoring? What data might we use?
- How do we communicate priorities, investments, and current progress?
SEA Spotlight on Practice: CNMI-PSS - watch their video reflections here
CCNetwork Resources
Evaluating the Impact of ARP/ESSER/ESF-Funded Programs Using Logic Models
The National Comprehensive Center's logic model tool can help SEAs and LEAs understand the impact of learning-recovery activities by defining a challenge, implementing an intervention, and articulating the intended outcomes of ARP/ESSER/ESF-funded programs. Provided is a logic model on high-dosage tutoring, accompanied by example statements that illustrate how to use a logic model to communicate with stakeholders as well as a blank logic model template with communication prompts for SEAs and LEAs to personalize.
External Resources
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Halftime for the K-12 stimulus: How are districts faring?
Halfway through the federal stimulus window, districts have yet to spend the bulk of funds. Meanwhile, learning loss and mental-health concerns are escalating. Can districts rise to the challenge?
Year 1: National Center Presents: Tools to Examine ARP-Funded Interventions
Federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) target learning recovery in our nation’s schools, especially students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The funding comes with reporting and tracking requirements which may be new to state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs).
The National Center and a panel of practitioners provided an introduction to four tools that recipients can use to better implement and monitor ARP funds. These tools will help SEAs and LEAs track financial and outcome data and determine if interventions are making a difference for the students who need them the most.
The tools can help:
- Assess progress on activities at the SEA and LEA level
- Identify and prioritize districts most in need of support
- Evaluate existing ARP-funded interventions to inform future decisions
- Track short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes for common interventions and communicate their impact
Hear from field experts about how the tools have already supported SEA teams and LEAs in meeting key ARP milestones during the 2022–23 school year.
Check out key moments from the event in the videos below:
- Investment Grid: Linking Costs and Outcomes – this tool helps SEAs and LEAs identify which evidence-based intervention to use, identifying cost per intervention per student served.
- ARP PATHS Tool – the Monitoring and Measuring Progress section is particularly relevant now that SEAs and LEAs have moved past initial ARP ESSER implementation. It can help SEAs reflect on their progress and note promising practices.
- ARP/ESSER Financial Monitoring Checklist – this tool helps SEAs identify LEAs most in need of support considering ARP spending (e.g., percent unspent, amount spent on salaries) and other factors (e.g., declining enrollment, numbers of CSI/TSI schools).
- Evaluating the Impact of ARP-Funded Programs Using Logic Models – this tool can help SEAs and LEAs understand the impact of learning-recovery activities by defining a challenge, implementing an intervention, and articulating the intended outcomes of ARP-funded programs. A logic model on high-dosage tutoring is provided, accompanied by example statements that illustrate how to use a logic model to communicate with stakeholders as well as a blank logic model template with communication prompts for SEAs and LEAs to personalize
CCNetwork Resources
ARP Partnership, Assistance, Transformation, and Heightened Support (ARP PATHS)
The U.S. Department of Education and its technical assistance partner the National Comprehensive Center released a new resource to help states share their progress deploying the $122 billion American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds to support safe in-person instruction, address the effects of lost instructional time due to COVID-19, and meet the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of their students.
Evaluating the Impact of ARP/ESSER/ESF-Funded Programs Using Logic Models
The National Comprehensive Center's logic model tool can help SEAs and LEAs understand the impact of learning-recovery activities by defining a challenge, implementing an intervention, and articulating the intended outcomes of ARP/ESSER/ESF-funded programs. Provided is a logic model on high-dosage tutoring, accompanied by example statements that illustrate how to use a logic model to communicate with stakeholders as well as a blank logic model template with communication prompts for SEAs and LEAs to personalize.
The Investment Grid: Linking Costs and Outcomes
National Comprehensive Center partner, Edunomics Lab, shares a tool to help leaders assess current investments and finalize spending plans to do the most for students. Customize this tool to compare investments of different strategies and dosages for a particular evidence-based intervention or across different interventions for the same students. In addition to financial costs, the tool requires consideration of desired outcomes and risks.
ARP/ESSER Financial Monitoring Checklist
National Comprehensive Center partner, Edunomics Lab, shares a financial monitoring checklist to assist state education agencies (SEAs) in assessing the status of American Rescue Plan (ARP) expenditures at the local level and prioritizing areas of focus for monitoring, evaluating, and supporting. SEAs may customize the tool by changing the column headings and inserting LEAs with common characteristics of interest to focus the assessment and/or compare across LEA sub-groups.
Year 1: Edunomics Lab Cross CoP Webinar Series
National Center in partnership with Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University is hosting a series of webinars focused on how states and districts can make the most of their Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund spending.
CCNetwork Resources
What Can ESSER Spending Data Tell Us
There is a lot of interest in tracking Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund spending. Importantly, the information that State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) collect about spending will ultimately shape how the data can be used. During this webinar, National Comprehensive Center partner, Edunomics, shared what they are learning about how states are collecting American Rescue Plan (ARP) spending data, what can be learned from the data, and provide recommendations to improve SEA and LEA data collection efforts.
ESSER Spending: Connecting Investments and Outcomes
It's been a year since Congress approved the largest-ever one-time investment in public education: ESSER III. And spending has been slow. Now's a good time for SEAs and LEAs to assess current investments and finalize spending plans to do the most for students. During this webinar, National Comprehensive Center partner, Edunomics Lab shared an “investment tool” to help leaders do just that.
Year 1: EBI Selection and Implementation: Current LEA Set-Aside Practice
Driving Questions:
- What trends did your state notice in your review of LEA plans?
- What are the promising practices and areas for growth around local needs assessments and selection of evidence-based practices?
- How does your state plan to support LEAs on the successful implementation of their plans and the evidence-based practices they selected?
Year 1: Data-Informed Identification, Implementation and Monitoring of EBIs
Driving Questions:
- What data exists at the state and local levels that supports the identification and monitoring of evidence-based interventions?
- What data or other information does the state plan to collect from districts?
- How can the state otherwise support districts to monitor for implementation and outcomes?
CCNetwork Resources
ARP Partnership, Assistance, Transformation, and Heightened Support (ARP PATHS)
The U.S. Department of Education and its technical assistance partner the National Comprehensive Center released a new resource to help states share their progress deploying the $122 billion American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds to support safe in-person instruction, address the effects of lost instructional time due to COVID-19, and meet the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of their students.
Year 1: Changes to State Policy and Practice for Year 2 ARP Implementation
Driving Questions:
- As a result of conversations between the state and select local districts, what new or revised areas or methods of support have been identified?
- How have these districts responded to proposed policies and practices put forward by the state?
- What changes does the state plan to make for YR 2 LEA ARP plan templates, their review and monitoring?
- What supports will the state provide to all districts? Districts with the greatest need?