Today more than ever, administrators are expected to demonstrate the results of programs and services. This means being able to determine how much progress specific groups of students are making, and which programs and services produce positive results. Often educators do not have the time for a full, formal program evaluation and simply need quick answers to their questions. To address this need, Public Consulting Group's Center for Resource Management (PCG-CRM) offers FastTrack Analysis services that provide district and school leaders with key information on programs and student outcomes without having to engage in a lengthy, formal program evaluation.

FastTrack Analysis links outcome data to programs, services, and interventions so that administrators can make informed, data-driven decisions about program outcomes and program effectiveness. Our analysis identifies the programs and services that improve outcomes for specific student populations and those that do not, and what is working for which students and in which schools. Our approach includes longitudinal analyses for specific cohorts of students as well as analyses of literacy support needs.

PCG-CRM's FastTrack Analysis answers Essential Questions about:

• Student outcomes for multiple demographic groups, programs, schools, and combinations of these variables
• The extent to which specific programs, interventions, and services have improved outcomes
• The longitudinal progress of specific cohorts of students
• The characteristics of students who achieve proficiency and those who do not
• Where the most progress is being made in closing achievement gaps
• How absence and mobility affect assessment results
• How student grades correlate with state assessment results and other measures
• How to strategically target program improvement

We have found in our work that evaluation results are often only read by a few people in the district, and that more often than not, the results are not shared in a way that brings together the problem-solving capacities of key stakeholders. Results from the FastTrack Analysis are provided in a workbook format that facilitates collaborative discussions about the data. The FastTrack Analysis is designed to not only quickly provide information that answers Essential Questions, but to do so in such a way that gets the right people talking about taking data-driven action.

We have an off-the-shelf FastTrack Analysis module for Special Education. PCG-CRM has developed the data collection protocols, output displays, and workbook formats for this module. However, we can easily customize a FastTrack Analysis module for whatever set of questions your school or district might have.

Our FastTrack Analysis services build on PCG-CRM's expertise and long history in providing data-driven program evaluation and program improvement services.