Evaluation of the Comprehensive Technical Assistance Centers
States and schools face a prolonged budget crisis, and at the same time, a growing number of schools are struggling to meet academic benchmarks. The Comprehensive Technical Assistance Centers have helped states meet these challenges by providing state education agencies with hands-on support adapted to address each state’s particular needs. SEDL operates the Southeast and Texas Comprehensive Centers, two of the 16 Regional Comprehensive Centers.
A recent report highlights the value of the Comprehensive Centers in supporting state education leaders. Published by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, National Evaluation of the Comprehensive Technical Assistance Centers, found that the Comprehensive Centers are effective in helping state education agencies build capacity for school improvement. The report used evaluation data from 3 program years (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09).
Findings include:
- The number of state managers reporting that Comprehensive Center technical assistance served their states’ purposes increased every year.
- State managers also reported that the Regional Comprehensive Centers’ assistance expanded the states’ capacity to improve their statewide systems of support.
- Expert panels reviewed sampled project materials for both the Content Centers and the Regional Centers and, on average, rated them as “moderate” to “high” in quality.
- Participants in sampled projects of the Comprehensive Centers rated them as “high” in relevance and usefulness.
To learn more about the Comprehensive Centers:
Read National Evaluation of the Comprehensive Technical Assistance Centers.
Watch a webinar that provides an overview of the report and the Comprehensive Centers’ significance. The webinar includes comments from Brenda J. Turnbull, principal at Policy Study Associates and author of the report, and discussions from three state officials and Robin Jarvis, the director of the Southeast Comprehensive Centers.
