Instrument 9: Organizational Self-Assessment

Instrument 9: Organizational Self-Assessment

Culture of Continuous Learning Project: A Breakthrough Series Collaborative for Improving Child Care and Head Start Quality

Respondents	Time of Data Collection
BSC Teams (Administrator, Teachers, Other Staff, Parent)	Midpoint (T2) Post-test (T3)

Note: Specific primary and secondary drivers in this self-assessment are illustrative; different drivers or additional follow-up questions may be included in this self-assessment.

Primary and secondary drivers will be selected based on relevance at time of data collection such that the time to complete the team self-assessment is no more than 90 minutes.

Purpose

This self-assessment tool is designed to help your team review the practices and systems you currently have in place that help support social and emotional learning practices in your center or program. It is organized by the five primary drivers described in the Collaborative Change Framework. We recognize that your team is a partnership that includes staff at many levels as well as parents. Thus, this self-assessment can help do the following for your team:

1. Build a shared framework and develop a common language and understanding about the how you are doing in your current practices;

2. Act as a team-building exercise to help your entire Core Team think about and discuss your practices from different points of view and begin focusing on this work with a single vision; and

3. Help your team identify key successes, challenges, and priority areas for improvement.

The results of this self-assessment will be shared with the BSC Implementation Team and Faculty who will be coaching your team throughout the Collaborative. This will help them better understand your current program and center so that they can provide you with the most supportive coaching possible. You will be asked to update this assessment at various points throughout the Collaborative to help you reflect on your progress and revise your priorities. In the spirit of collaboration, the self-assessments will also be shared across teams to help you identify opportunities for learning from others.

After completing the self-assessment, your team should think about priorities based on your identified areas of need. Your team may even come up with ideas and strategies for change during this self-assessment process. Keep track of those ideas and bring them to the first Learning Session. However, the tool is not intended to help you think about how to improve; it is designed to help you assess where you are now.

Instructions for Completion

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) Statement: This collection of information is voluntary. This self-assessment tool is designed to help BSC teams review the practices and systems they currently have in place that help support social and emotional learning practices in their center or program, and to identify priorities and goals for improvement. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-XXXX, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Kathryn Tout, ktout@childtrends.org or Child Trends, 708 N 1^st Suite #333 Minneapolis, MN 55401 Attention: Kathryn Tout

Your entire Core Team will start to complete this tool together at the Pre-Work Day [add date], but you may need to spend more time on it after. The discussions that you will have together are critical to your team’s development and growth. On the following pages, each table shows one of the five primary drivers described in the Collaborative Change Framework. Each primary driver will include a series of secondary drivers that you will rate on a 4-point scale.

• To complete this self-assessment, fill in the point value that best describes your current overall center’s level of functioning (not just a single classroom or teachers who will be involved in this project).

• Because your team includes many perspectives, some questions may be more relevant for some, rather than others.

• To the greatest extent possible, we encourage you to have strong and honest discussions to complete your ratings.

We recognize this is not a scientific tool, but think it is a useful way of having open discussions about what you currently do. We encourage you to be honest about where you are right now. There are no right or wrong answers, nor are there judgments being made about your responses. Your candid responses will allow you to most accurately prioritize your efforts in this project and also to take advantage of the greatest opportunity for true center-wide improvements.

For each driver, please use the “Comments” section to note specific examples or to explain briefly why you chose the score you did. You may also use the “Comments” section to describe differences in perspectives that were shared in your discussions. At the end of each area there is room for a brief narrative discussion. You can use this section to comment on why you are currently functioning at that designated level; to identify the strengths of your center in that driver; to detail barriers that exist to improving your work in that driver; and/or to begin to brainstorm about opportunities that exist for improvement.

Scoring Guidelines and Considerations

When scoring each driver, please base your scoring on the following:

Serious Challenges or Does Not Yet Exist 1	Some Challenges or Exists Only in a Limited Way 2	Shows Strengths or Exists in a Fairly Consistent Way 3	Very Strong or Exists in a Clearly Defined Way 4
For this driver, there are numerous barriers and challenges within our current work. There are few or no known policies, procedures, or daily practice examples to guide us in this area. We agree that we need practices, policies, procedures, and/or trainings developed in this area to establish capacity.	For this driver, there are some challenges and barriers in our current work. We may do some of this (or have the capacity to do it), but it is sporadic and person-dependent, rather than relying on established practices, policies, protocols, or training.	For this driver, there are some strengths within our current work. We have some practices, policies, procedures, and/or trainings in place that are followed by most staff and/or partners on a daily basis. We still need work to make this the way all our work is done on a systematic and clearly defined way, but we have successes that we can build on.	For this driver, there are numerous strengths in our work. We agree that we currently have practices, policies and protocols that are clearly in place and are used by all staff and/or partners on a daily basis. We agree that there are many strengths for us in this area such that we can share them with other teams in the BSC and will not need to focus on it as a priority in this project.

1. Driver 1. Nurturing, responsive and supportive relationships and environments

Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
Classrooms are designed in responsive ways.
Predictable schedules, routines and activities are developed and maintained to promote smooth transitions.
Activities are designed to promote engagement.
Clear directions are provided.
Behavior expectations are taught.
Nurturing, meaningful relationships are developed by teachers with children and colleagues.
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 1: Nurturing, responsive and supportive relationships and environments

2. Driver 2. Teaching social skills and emotional competencies

Sample Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
Children are taught to express emotions appropriately.
Children are taught problem solving skills.
Children are taught positive peer relationship skills.
Children's autonomy is encouraged.
Opportunities for children to practice skills in daily routines and interactions are embedded.
Effective strategies are used to respond to challenging behaviors.
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 2: Teaching social skills and emotional competencies

3. Driver 3. Family partnership to promote children's social and emotional competencies

Sample Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
Open, consistent communication with families is used.
Parent participation in the classroom and center is invited and supported.
Postive, respectful, meaningful, culturally affirming relationships with families are developed.
Families are connected to concrete supports in times of need.
Families are engaged as partners to support the parent-child relationship and the families' promotion of their child's social and emotional competencies.
Parent confidence/competence (parental resilience) is supported and promoted.
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 3: Family partnership to promote children's social and emotional competencies

4. Driver 4. Racial equity and cultural responsiveness in promoting children's social and emotional competencies

Sample Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
A system to collect and review data by race/ethnicty, language, gender, and ability exists and is used.
Ongoing professional development and reflection opportunties for staff on cultural responsiveness, implicit bias, and race equity is provided.
Diverse identities and families in the classroom and center environment are honored and respected.
Clear policies and guidelines for preventing challenging behaviors that are free from bias, and ensure equity and fairness are developed.
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 4: Racial equity and cultural responsiveness in promoting children's social and emotional competencies

5. Driver 5. Organizational capacity and support to promote social and emotional competence of children

Sample Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
A culture of collaboration in the classroom and center exists.
Facilitative leadership and reflective supervision are used.
Healthy staff, stress-reduction, adult relational competencies, and self-regulation are supported.
Data systems to track behavior and social and emotional competence are used.
Access to mental health consultation is ensured to support individualized interventions for children with persistent challenging behaviors, disabilities, or developmental challenges .
Effective staffing patterns (ratios, hours, breaks, time off, staffing consistency, primary caregiver model, continuity of care model) are maintained.
A postitve workplace climate where staff feel supported and valued is nurtured.
Ongoing training and coaching is provided.
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 5: Organizational capacity and support to promote social and emotional competence of children

6. Driver 6. Additional Driver

Sample Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation] [Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 6: Additional Driver

7. Driver 7. Additional driver based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation

Sample Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation] [Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 7: Additional Driver

8. Driver 8. Additional driver based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation

Sample Secondary Drivers to Rate	Score (1-4)	Comments
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]
[Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation] [Additional secondary drivers based on collaborative change framework updated through the process of implementation]

OVERALL COMMENTS ON DRIVER 8: Additional Driver