2004 - 2005 Accomplishments

INKS relies on qualitative and quantitative data to help determine project outcomes and impacts, as well as for direction with continuous improvement efforts.  Data are collected by the INKS administrative staff and the Field-Based Consultants themselves.  FBCs develop formative and summative reports, as well as case study vignettes, that are summarized and reported annually to KSDE, in terms of project impacts. 

In Year Five (2004-2005) of the first KSTARS funding cycle, the Network continued to refine project evaluation activities.  Selected INKS evaluation data are summarized and reported below for the 10-month period from July 1, 2004 through April 30, 2005.  Ten-month evaluation outcomes were incorporated into the University of Kansas’ new five-year KSTARS application to request continuation of funding for INKS, submitted to KSDE in the spring 2005.  

Summary of INKS Consultation Requests & Responses to Requests (as of 4/30/05)

(1)  Total TA/Consultation/Training Requests: N= 69 (N=56 active)

(2) Categories of Requests INKS Responded To: 

(3) Requests by Type/Content Area:

(4) Requests by Type of INKS Assistance:

(5) Requests by School Settings:

(6) Requests by Geographic Locations:

Observations: Year Five of 5-Year Funding Cycle (2004-2005—10 months only)

INKS' administrative staff will continue to track the numbers and types of technical assistance, consultation and training requests the Network receives during each year of the second KSTARS grant cycle, beginning 7/1/05.  In addition, trend data collected over the course of multiple project years will be monitored to direct FBC recruitment efforts appropriately and to ensure adequate allocation of the project's financial and personnel resources.

A reduction in the amount of “before the site visit” paperwork that had been previously required in Years One - Three of INKS' first grant cycle continues to result in significantly fewer “lost” consultation opportunities.  This reduction in paperwork “hoops” through which site teams had previously been required to maneuver in order to access INKS' field-based consultation, has resulted in improved accessibility to INKS services and enhanced site team responsiveness. 

For example, 69 technical assistance / consultation / training requests were received during the first 10 months of 2004-2005 (7/1/04-4/30/05). A total of 13 of these requests (19%) resulted in a lost opportunity for INKS to offer assistance.  It should be noted that eight of these 13 “lost” opportunities were situations in which either the student’s family moved out of the district, or there was a change in teacher, and the school team formally withdrew the INKS TA request.  So, in practical terms, there were really only five (5) “lost” TA requests where after initial contact with INKS, the school team did not respond to any further communications from INKS, or failed to provide INKS with any of the requested information needed to pursue the consultation.  This reflects only about 8% of all INKS requests—that is, situations in which no further contact was made by the school site, after INKS initially received the TA request and followed up with next steps that needed to be taken. This can be compared to data from the first three years (2000-2003) of the first KSTARS funding cycle in which nearly one-quarter (24%) of all referral requests resulted in no further response from the school site, following an initial INKS follow-up inquiry.  During the project's new five year funding cycle, INKS administrative staff will continue to track the number of requests received, responded to, and completed, as well as any non-responsive (“lost”) requests….and INKS will continue to find ways to assure high rates of school site follow-through so that INKS services will be accessed by all requesting school teams.