The Five Step Improvement Process

The STEM Equity Pipeline Project uses a generic five-step improvement process that is based on practical yet rigorous methods and tools to guide state and local improvement efforts.

Step 1: Document Performance Results

The first step in the process is to describe state and school/college performance on the core indicators by comparing performance levels between schools/colleges, student populations, and programs over time. This step uses summary statistics and basic graphs and charts to document performance and identify improvement priorities.

Step 2: Identify Root Causes

The second step is to analyze performance data and use additional information and methods to determine the most important and most direct causes of performance gaps that can be addressed by improvement strategies and specific solutions. This step encourages states to use multiple methods to identify and evaluate potential causes and select a few critical root causes as the focus of improvement efforts.

Step 3: Select Best Solutions

The third step is to identify and evaluate potential solutions to performance problems, including both improvement strategies and program models, by reviewing and evaluating the underlying logic of these solutions and the empirical evidence of their effectiveness in achieving performance results.

Step 4: Pilot Test and Evaluate Solutions

The fourth step is to conduct pilot testing and evaluation of solutions. This step presents practical yet rigorous methods and tools for evaluating solutions before full implementation at the state or institutional levels.

Step 5: Implement Solutions

The fifth step is to implement fully tested solutions based on implementation plans that measure the implementation of the solution and evaluate the success of the solution in reaching the expected performance results. This step also addresses how to use evaluation results to plan the next steps in state and local improvement efforts.

Five-Step Program Improvement Process Resources

Five-Step Program Improvement Process Summary Handout

A one page summary description of each of the steps in the Five-Step Program Improvement Process. (document)

Improving Performance - A Five Step Process

A guide designed to help state education agencies, schools and colleges use data to improve performance on the Perkins III core indicators. This guide provides a comprehensive generic explanation of the Five-Step Program Improvement Process. (document)

Guide for Program Improvement for Perkins IV: Nontraditional CTE Program Participation and Completion

A step by step guide for using the Five-Step Program Improvement Process to analyze Perkins performance data, identify root causes, select appropriate strategies, pilot test and evaluation and implement. this guide is specifically developed for working on increasing the participation and completion of underrepresented gender students in nontraditional career and technical education. (document)

Improving Performance on Perkins III Core Indicators: Summary of Research on Causes and Improvement Strategies

Theories and evidence presented in table format regarding each of the four core indicators in Perkins III. Chapter 6 is summary review of the research literature through 2002 on the participation and completion of students in nontraditional career and technical and STEM education. This document is currently under revision - look for an updated version by the end of 2008. (document)