Community Assessment: Building Responsive Programs
Learn about the standards, expectations, and best practices that guide a community assessment, an essential first step in designing responsive programs.
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Community Assessment
This analysis provides information about the needs and resources of Head Start-eligible families and the community within a service area. This process informs the goal setting and design of new programs. Programs must review and update this data annually and the resources listed below offer assistance.
Community assessment, along with self-assessment, is one of the 12 program management systems on the Management Systems Wheel.
1302.11 Determining community strengths, needs, and resources.
Programs must conduct a community assessment of their service area at least once over the five-year grant period. Review this standard for clarity about what should be considered.
Community Assessment Interactive Overviews
Use these interactive overviews to test your understanding of foundational concepts of the collection and use of community assessment data.
Introduction
To be responsive, programs must understand the needs and characteristics of the children, families, and communities they serve. The community assessment helps you gain that knowledge. Do you know the foundational requirements and benefits of a community assessment?
Step 1. Plan and Organize
A well-articulated plan ensures your community assessment is thorough, accurate, and efficient. Do you know how to plan and organize for a community assessment?
Step 2. Design the Work
It's important to prioritize the primary questions and identify the sources of data needed to answer them. Do you know how to develop primary questions and design data collection?
Step 3. Gather Data
A program's ability to manage data effectively impacts the quality of a community assessment. Do you know how to design a data collection plan and create tools to gather data?
Step 4. Analyze and Make Decisions
Analyzing the data, identifying trends, and making data-informed decisions are crucial steps. Do you know how to analyze data and use research findings to inform decision-making?
Step 5. Communicate and Incorporate
Community assessment reports should carefully consider how to make the data accessible, relevant, and engaging. Do you know how to effectively communicate findings from a community assessment?
