Assessment of Professional Development Systems: Improving Rural Special Education Services

Rural Special Education Quarterly, Fall 2003 by Rude, Harvey A, Brewer, Robin D

The difference between results and performance measures is significant. Results measures are much broader in scope and speak to the broad range of factors in producing the results, indicators, and strategies leading to the current dilemma in professional development. From a logic model perspective (McLauglin & Jordan, 1999), results measures are the result of a variety of factors. Many of the causal factors are beyond the scope of project influence and accountability. Performance measures, by contrast, are measures of program effectiveness for which the professional development system architects are the principal owners. Performance accountability focus is about the relationship between strategies and performance measures in professional development. In essence, the specification of performance measures answers the questions: "What change did we produce? How well did we do it?" The types of information that provide evidence of effectiveness would include cost/benefit analyses, computation of return on investment, and customer results/outcomes. Friedman (1999) stresses the need to establish baseline information regarding quality performance measures. To establish the compelling case for change, it is essential to think about the story behind the baseline and what can be done to improve upon existing performance.

In a rural school setting it is frequently helpful to consider all community resources that may have impact on the desired outcome. In many respects, the school provides the identity for the local community making it easier to communicate the compelling reason for collaboration and coordination of resources. Friedman (1998) cites the example of the Tillamook county response to being identified with the state of Oregon's highest teen pregnancy rate. The impact of teen pregnancy has a significant negative impact on the educational outcomes and opportunities for high school students since these students face disconnection in their school progress and disruptions in many areas of their lives. The outcomes and impacts of this situation have significant implications for a variety of organizations that extend beyond the school setting.

In 1990 the teen pregnancy rate in Tillamook county was 24 per 1,000 girls ages 10-17. Beginning that year, and continuing to the present, community leaders in Tillamook devised a community-wide strategy to bring about change. Each agency was committed to acknowledge the problem and provide whatever support within their control to reduce the rate of teen pregnancy. The diverse views of the various community agencies, paired with the controversial nature of the challenge in a rural community, helped motivate the community to become in the initiative. The cumulative nature of the intervention plan included the following professional development activities: a) schools added self esteem and sexuality education to their curriculum, b) churches focused on improving communication channels with teens by teaching refusal skills and promoting abstinence, c) county health services expanded clinic hours and changed policy to ensure that teens seeking assistance would be seen within 48 hours, d) the YMCA sponsored a recreation program for at-risk teens that built self esteem through physical activity programs, e) the community college offered a teen parent program with the goal of preventing second unintended pregnancies, f) the commission on children and families funded teen pregnancy prevention curriculum in the schools as well as counseling and support groups, g) the local hospital initiated a home visiting and parenting program for all newborn babies, and, h) a variety of community organizations (e.g., the women's crisis center, the family counseling center, and the child care center) offered support for these activities as supporting partners.