A BluePrint for Success: Case Studies of Successful - Educational ...

A Blueprint for Success
dents real time guidance through college admission processes. Further, students and families use the
labs to complete college applications, assess skills and interests, and take virtual college tours (helpful
for low-income students who can’t afford to travel to many college campuses). Technology also helps
document students’ college admission and enrollment status, register them for standardized tests,
and maintain proprietary databases, essential for customizing student services and analyzing program
outcomes.
Data-­‐Driven Practices
EIF analyzes over 27 outcome measures to assess program effectiveness and to ascertain whether the
organization is achieving its goals. EIF has internal and external evaluation teams that analyze different
data elements such as students’ high school graduation rates, SAT/ACT test registrations, testtaking
behaviors, scores, financial aid and scholarship applications, college applications, acceptance
rates, college attendance, persistence, and completion. The organization’s internal evaluation team
also administers surveys to collect baseline measures of college knowledge and perceptions, effectiveness
of specific program components and events, the integration of the EIF program within each
campus served, and other qualitative measures. Program effectiveness is assessed by the external evaluation
team at the University of Texas at Dallas. Particularly, this group looks at three key performance
areas: academic performance (i.e., high school GPA, number of AP courses taken), college
readiness elements (i.e. SAT/ACT registration and scores), and 11th grade exit-level exam scores.
Information collected by EIF Higher Education Advisors from students and high school counselors
are entered into a centralized EIF database. In addition, EIF verifies college enrollment data with the
National Student Clearinghouse, colleges, and universities, as well as information collected from surveys.
The information is tracked on a daily basis throughout the school year and summer months. In
addition, verifications from colleges and universities are tracked periodically through contact with
institution liaisons, with student permission via signed FERPA waivers.
To evaluate program outcomes, the EIF management team sets target goals that the schools expected
to achieve. Summary tables and graphs are generated from the data and allow both managers and
Higher Education Advisors to track performance in real time. Below are examples of the reports generated
on a regular basis:
Weekly Reports (sent to HEAs)
Bi-weekly Reports (sent to management team)
Monthly Reports (sent to school district – i.e., Dallas ISD)
Evaluation Reports (sent to funders/stakeholders as needed)
College Retention Reports (Clearinghouse)
Ad Hoc Reports (special data requests that are not included in the regular reports)
Educational Policy Institute 67 www.educationalpolicy.org