Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership (CEEL)

Led by Director Brad Neuenswander, Ed.D, the mission of Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership (CEEL) is to support district and building level leaders to lead, organize, and implement the most effective and equitable learning environments for students. As each school district and community is different, so are the resources educational leaders need to ensure student and educator success.

Representatives of Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership will meet with school district leadership staff to develop and implement strategic plans that lead to educational success and ensure all student populations have access to high quality supports and services.

There are three key phases of CEEL's district work: Needs Assessment, Implementation and Follow-up.

Needs Assessment

CEEL conducts a comprehensive needs assessment of the district, including surveys of key district staff and community. This will lead to a flexible district and building action plan that includes:

  • Identify and understand the current district academic structure, including varying reform initiatives underway,
  • Review communication systems and strategies being employed,
  • Analyze the Strategic Plan and various analyses of its implementation and effectiveness,
  • Analysis of the learning environment including multiple measures of success,
  • Review of organizational structures,
  • Evaluation of district finances,
  • Community engagement and demographics,
  • Facility needs.

Implementation:

Upon completion of the needs assessment, CEEL brokers talents and services for the district to ensure a successful implementation of the strategic plan, including services from:

  • University of Kansas faculty and staff,
  • Kansas State Department of Education resources, including the Technical Assistance Systems Network,
  • Educational Service Center resources,
  • Supports from the Kansas Association of School Boards, United School Administrators, the Kansas Leadership Center, and the Ewing Kaufman Foundation.

In addition, the CEEL will ensure district strategic plans are aligned to the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) process and meet the requirements for the Kansas legislature’s statutory requirements for a comprehensive needs assessment.

Follow-up:

The CEEL will remain a support to district leadership months after the first two phases, and schedule a time 8-12 months later to follow-up with the district on steps and actions taken to implement the plan. This will serve as a form of accountability to implementation.

School districts interested in engaging the center should email neuenswander@ku.edu or ceel@ku.edu.

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