Introduction

Purpose

Welcome to the Service-Learning Quality Review (Quality Review). The Quality Review is designed to assist any educator working to create high performing schools or districts that include service-learning as an integral component. If you are in the midst of developing a school or districtwide service-learning initiative or if your goal is to better understand the components of high performing schools or districts, you’ve come to the right place.

The Quality Review is based on research and knowledge of “best practices” associated with the link between service-learning and school improvement efforts.

Results of the self-assessment will help you:

§ Realize the full range of factors that can improve schools and districts

§ Understand the role that service-learning can play in the improvement process

§ Appreciate the strengths of your current approach

§ Identify the challenges you will face as you proceed

§ Learn various strategies and ways to improve your service-learning initiative

§ Seek assistance, resources, and additional tools that can help you reach your goals.

Assessment Criteria

The Quality Review is based on a comprehensive framework for improving schools that measures both top-down influences, such as policy and leadership, and bottom-up variables, such as teaching, learning, curriculum, student voice, and teacher capacity. The criteria are grouped into seven core elements of high performing schools and/or districts that include service-learning as an integral component. The table below provides an outline of the core elements and groupings.

Table 1: Quality Review Criteria

Section I: Policy Environment

I-A: District Policy Environment

I-B: School Policy Environment

Section II: Leadership

II-A: District Leadership

II-B: School Leadership

II-C: Student Leadership

Section III: Organizational Capacity

III-A: District Organizational Capacity

III-B: School Organizational Capacity

III-C: Service-Learning Initiative Capacity

Section IV: Collaborations and Partnerships

IV-A: Community Partners and Resources

IV-B: Public Engagement

IV-C: Parent Involvement

Section V: Professional Climate

V-A: Access

V-B: Focus

V-C: Collaboration

V-D: Continuity

Section VI: Teaching and Learning

VI-A: Student-Centered Learning

VI-B: Learning-Centered Teaching

VI-C: Academic Rigor

Section VII: Service and Civic Engagement

VII-A: Meaningful Service

VII-B: Preparation for Service

VII-C: Inclusive Service

VII-D: Civic Connections

Directions for Completing the Quality Review

Completing the Quality Review is simple. There are seven core elements, each with their own set of criteria used to measure your progress in integrating service-learning into your school system, including your school improvement plans, assessing the quality of your program, and to stimulate reflection, discussion, and further planning to sustain your program.

The Quality Review asks respondents to consider both the importance of each criteria and progress made. A statement is presented for each of the criteria. Respondents are asked to reflect on each statement and consider: (a) the extent to which it is an important element for your school or district; and (b) the extent to which you’ve made progress in putting the element into place. If you consider the criteria to be important, click on “Important,” and then indicate the level of progress made. If you consider the criteria to be unimportant in your work, click on “Not Important,” and then indicate the level of progress made. A 4-point scale is used to determine the level of progress made for each criterion. In your response, you will be asked to identify if the specific criteria has been “Completely Achieved,” “Mostly Achieved,” “Partially Achieved,” or “Not Achieved.” Respondents may also select the “Don’t Know” option where appropriate. (Note: Selecting this option will affect your overall score.)

Accessing Your Results

When you have finished responding to all of the questions in the Quality Review, simply click on the “Finished” button. Your results will be automatically calculated and should appear on the screen shortly. The results will include a complete graph showing your overall scores for each core element, followed by your individual scores for criteria comprising the core elements. A summary of your school/district strengths and challenges will follow, along with a complete list of recommendations, examples, and additional resources for your review.