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SPARK Evaluation & Assessment

Are there tools SPARK provides that can help me evaluate the success of SPARK?

1. Formative/Needs Assessment: SPARK workshops are modified and targeted to meet the particular needs of each school or agency. To accomplish this goal, SPARK staff conduct a phone interview to understand the vision and direction of the participating school, district, or agency. During the interview important questions on activity quantity and quality are also posed. Additionally, SPARK disseminates a survey to each workshop attendee to analyze current offerings, ascertain program strengths/successes and what they would like to focus on during staff development. These tools are compiled and given to the host agency, and presented to the SPARK trainer as a critical component of her/his presentation.

2. Inservice Evaluation: SPARK Trainers have each attendee complete an inservice evaluation after a workshop. These measure the effectiveness of the training session. They are compiled and presented to the host.

3. Program Evaluation: SPARK Trainers will send a Final Debriefing Form for the district to administer near the end of the school year to all SPARK workshop attendees. This survey will ask questions regarding teacher/youth leader utilization of the program (quantity and quality) and their impressions of its effects on student achievement.

4. Lesson Quality Checklists: SPARK provides and instructs participating teachers in the use of their LQC, which is an evaluative tool that measures instructional effectiveness. There is a different LQC for each SPARK program. These may also be used to collect hard data in baseline, process, and outcome measures.