Partnering with you to innovate sustainable education solutions.

VES developed an education technology strategic plan for a public charter school in DC, in alignment with the school’s overall strategic plan and priorities. We engaged with key community members and partners to solicit insights on the education technology strategic plan. Our engagement focused on their perspectives on remote learning experiences (e.g., successes, challenges, supports needed), technology resources educators were using, and educators’ perspectives on technology needs related to professional development. VES used a combination of focus groups with students, staff, and school leadership; a survey of staff; and one-on-one meetings to develop an action plan and dissemination strategy. This process was critical in developing the school’s understanding of their current context and gaps, strategies to address those gaps, and their staffing and technology needs moving forward.

VES collaborated with CDEC leadership and staff to develop a strategic plan for the newly established state agency. We engaged about 200 staff through a survey and multiple work sessions over a four-month period. VES collected input on mission, values, and goals, worked with their leadership to revise them, and then provided guidance on identifying strategies, activities, and metrics. The work included facilitating an in-person session with all staff to involve them further in crafting the details of the strategic plan and promote buy-in.

VES has been assisting DEED with its efforts to boost teacher recruitment and retention. At Governor Dunleavy’s direction, DEED gathered working groups to devise an action plan in this aim. VES staff have been supporting plan implementation. We have been facilitating stakeholder sessions to develop specific short- and long-term action steps to operationalize the plan and make it actionable for a range of stakeholders including practitioners, policymakers, education organizations and agencies, and communities. Facilitation has included crafting engaging meetings, activities, and materials; promoting active, thoughtful participation, and synthesizing meeting outcomes to inform plan implementation. VES staff have also written two user-friendly, actionable reports, with accompanying slide decks, on two priorities from the action plan: financial opportunities to augment teacher compensation and use of teacher feedback to contribute to principal growth and development. The reports included research on these topics, information on implementation and tools in Alaska and nationwide, and considerations for implementation. One report was co-authored with local education leaders and both sought extensive feedback from the field to ensure quality and relevance.

VES collaborated with DDOE leadership to conduct an evaluation of summer programs operated by school districts, independent schools, and community-based organizations. We conducted a preliminary mixed methods process evaluation to better understand summer program offerings, participation, satisfaction, and desired outcomes. In phase one, VES surveyed summer program providers achieving an 83 percent response rate. We performed an in-depth analysis of the survey results and provided recommendations based on the findings. The second phase of the project followed these broad survey results with a deeper dive into the experiences of three summer programs in different urban and rural locations in Delaware. VES conducted nine focus groups, three at each site, to better understand successes, challenges, and lessons learned directly from the field. This process yielded recommendations for the state on how to support strong and attractive summer programming grounded in high-quality, engaging summer learning opportunities for children and youth. The Phase one and two reports described findings and offered recommendations to inform the creation of a blueprint for summer programs that can further accelerate their positive impact for Delaware students.

VES has been supporting the evaluation of a program in urban and rural Alaska that provides participants with literacy and cultural activities. The mixed methods approach included developing a cultural connectedness survey, staff interviews, and report writing. Upcoming work is expected to add student outcome data analysis and helping the organization use findings to improve practice and inform decision-making.

VES are experts in transforming your data into actionable insights. Whether you need live, interactive dashboards, periodic reports, or custom analytics solutions, VES can help. Contact us so we can discuss your needs and find the best solution for you.