AUDIT & ROOT CAUSE
ANALYSIS SERVICES
Our comprehensive audit process uses both qualitative and quantitative data at the school and/or district level to uncover the root causes of system issues. It involves a "data drilldown" to analyze quantitative data in areas like discipline and achievement, alongside qualitative reviews of policies, practices, and the experiences of students and caregivers through focus groups.
The ultimate goal of the audit is to identify underlying root causes that are maintaining inequities and/or undesired student outcomes. A collaborative leadership team will use the data to pinpoint actionable and measurable strategies that are specific aligned to each root cause.
This process results in a detailed Action Plan for Improvement addressing each of the identified areas of need. The process can be implemented at the school level (addressing specific school needs) or at the district level (addressing district wide areas of need).
WHAT TO EXPECT
Below are elements of our comprehensive process. Each Local EducationAgency (LEA) may determine which of the following to include in their audit:
Data Drilldown (Quantitative)
Data from the following areas will be collected and analyzed using three primary calculations: Classification Index, Composition Index, Risk Ratio. Areas: Discipline, Achievement, Attendance, and/or Program Participation (Special Education and GATE). The area(s) of inquiry will be determined by each LEA.
Student Case Study (Qualitative & Quantitative)
This study is designed to identify practices and procedures that maintain inequities in the identification of students with disabilities.
Review of Board Policies, Procedures, Contracts (Qualitative)
This is a review of school policies and written procedures (i.e., SST, MTSS, voluntary and involuntary transfers, 504) to identify potential practices that may contribute to inequities within the system.
Review of Practices (Qualitative)
This follows the review of policies and procedures. It involves a cycle of targeted focus groups. The goal is to identify practices that are misaligned with policies and procedures. This review is deductive in terms of alignment with current policies and procedures, and inductive with regard to practices that are likely perpetuating issues within the school system.
Caregiver and Student Experiences (Qualitative)
This involves a series of targeted focus groups with students and with caregivers. The goal of this is to gauge the experiences of students and parents most likely to be underserved by the system. This is inductive by design with the goal of identifying areas of vulnerability within the school system.
Ed. Partners/Leadership Meeting
The purpose of this is to review all data and collectively identify potential root causes, potential responses, and a theory of action for addressing the causes of system issues.
Establish Metrics for Implementation
Root causes and areas of vulnerability will come from the initial audit. The school leadership team will work with the CLS Consultant to identify key areas of improvement and monitoring. This will involve consultative support to the leadership team to identify both the outcome metrics and the process/leading indicators based on the identified change ideas coming from the equity audit phase. The result of the LEA audit will be an Action Plan for Improvement.
OUR EXPERTISE
Our team possesses deep experience in K-12 district, regional, and state educational leadership. Collectively, we bring:
K-12 Education
Experience
Classroom
Experience
District Leadership Experience
School Leadership Experience
100+ Years
35+ Years
30+ Years
55+ Years
RELATED RESOURCES
