ePeGS Glossary
Action Step – the major steps required to implement the activity.
Examples:
- Goal: The district’s graduation rate will increase to 90.0%.
- Objective: The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 90.0%.by 2009
- Activity: Develop and implement a work experience program for nurse’s aide.
- Action Step: Contact the local hospital to meet and discuss nurse’s aide program options.
Activities - the discrete and measurable strategies or interventions that specify how the objective will be accomplished.
Goal: The district’s graduation rate will increase to 90.0%.
Objective: The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 90.0% by 2009
Activity: Develop and implement a work experience program for nurse’s aide.
Baseline – Level of performance at the “start” of data collection. The baseline is a "line in the sand”, which can be used to measure change of important performance indicators for future
reference. When baseline data is compared with data collected at later points in the educational process decisions can be made as to whether students are making adequate progress.
Benchmark
Interim target. Benchmark and target indicators should be measured in the same way. Benchmarks are often performance levels that are expected to be achieved on the way to the target, often with specific achievement dates.
CSIP or Comprehensive School Improvement Plan – an ongoing, written plan developed by the district that directs the overall improvement of its educational programs and services as required by MSIP standard 8.2 . The CSIP includes the district’s goals, strategies and action steps to be undertaken so as to direct the improvement efforts for all students over at least five years. For further information, see http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/sia/msip/thirdcyclecsip.pdf.
Goal – a statement that describes the specific, measurable results expected to be achieved by the district to improve student performance. Goals can be more broadly defined than objectives and are set by the district. Objectives, on the other hand, can break down the goal to specific student populations that need improvement in order to meet the goal and by when.
Example:
- Goal: The district’s graduation rate will increase to 90.0%.
Objective – a statement that describes the specific, measurable results to be achieved by whom, by when and by how much or to what degree. Objectives, like goals, must be measurable and must relate to student performance but they must also specify a final target and when that target is to be met. Objectives are generally more discrete than goals, indicating the specific target population requiring improvement. Objectives should relate to and support a district goal.
Examples:
- Goal: The district’s graduation rate will increase to 90.0%.
- Objective: The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 90.0% by 2009.
Target – Desired level of performance to be reached. A target is usually the criterion (long-term) level of desired performance. Often the target level is specified in the objective.
Trend – the past and present performance of an individual or group as measured over some time period. Trend data can be used to project the future performance of an individual or group of individuals with and without the implementation of some objective.
Example: The dropout rate for students with disabilities for the last five years as represented by a line or bar graph that shows a trend of about a 0.5% increase each year. After implementation of the objective, the district estimates the dropout rate will decrease by 0.25% each year rather than increase as projected by the current trend line.
Acronyms
APR—Annual Performance Report |
CSIP—Comprehensive School Improvement Plan |
FAPE—Free and Appropriate Public Education |
IDEA 2004—Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act |
LEA—Local Education Agency |
MSIP—Missouri School Improvement Program |
OSEP—Office of Special Education Programs |
SEA—State Education Agency |
SPP—State Performance Plan |