State education agencies are required to conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) to identify and assess the unique educational needs of migrant children that result from their migratory lifestyle (Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title I Part C, Secs. 1304 and 1306).
ESCORT has worked with 18 SEAs on their CNAs using a research-based approach pilot tested and refined through experience since 2002. ESCORT staff have identified the benefits of CNA for strategic planning purposes beyond migrant education; for example, in developing priorities for English language learners and homeless students.
ESCORT can help your program with all of the following to complete your CNA:
Click on the links below to learn more about our work.
As a recognized leader in CNA, the Office of Migrant Education contracted with ESCORT in the fall of 2009 to develop a set of step-by-step, self paced learning modules for state migrant education directors to facilitate their program’s CNA. This entailed:
The toolkit is slated for completion by the fall of 2010. Information on availability will be posted at that time.
ESCORT, in partnership with the Florida and the Islands Comprehensive Center, facilitated a CNA for the Florida Department of Education's Homeless Education Program in 2007-2008.
Given the breadth of challenges faced by the state's homeless student population, the Needs Assessment Committee consisted of a wide range of expertise-- academics, school transportation, social services, community health, early childhood education, and a parent representative.
The committee identified a set of high priority needs for the state's homeless students, along with a list of recommended solutions. The top priorities focused on school readiness, identification of eligible students, and reading. From these findings, the FLDOE established a plan of action.
Strategy: Develop, pilot, and implement a transition plan that helps facilitate homeless children’s move from preschool to kindergarten to assist with continuity of services.
Develop and implement a standardized statewide residency form. FLDOE and LEA leadership collaborate to provide technical assistance and training to all LEAs on effective identification strategies, especially focusing on those districts without subgrants.
Create local leadership interagency team with an achievement focus looking across the community including preschool.
The Alabama Department of Education’s Title III Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students Program partnered with ESCORT to facilitate a Comprehensive Needs Assessment for English Language Learners(ELLs). This CNA was conducted to more effectively address the needs of ELLs in Alabama’s K-12 schools.
The needs assessment was modeled after the CNA process used for the Alabama Migrant Education Program. A committee of more than 30 members was assembled to participate in the CNA. Members included ESL education professors, ELL teachers, Title III coordinators, content-area teachers, community representatives and State Department of Education (SDE) specialists.
Under the direction of ESCORT staff, the SDE charged the committee members with the following tasks:
The CNA process culminated with the identification of academic needs of ELLs and recommended solutions based on widely accepted research in the field of second language acquisition and the instruction and assessment of language minority students. The final phase was to create an action plan for designing and delivering ongoing professional development services.
As a result of the CNA, ESCORT worked closely with the AL SDE to put in place a three year, three phase professional development pilot program designed to increase teacher and administrator knowledge and skills for educating ELLs. Click here for more information about that project.
Source: Final Report: Alabama English Language Learners Comprehensive Needs Assessment (August 2006)