SLAQ Data Collection
- When should I complete the SLAQ? How often does it need to be done? Is there a specific due date?
- Can LHD staff complete a SLAQ based on other assessments a site may have completed?
- When should the LHD Activity Checklist be completed?
When should I complete the SLAQ? How often does it need to be done? Is there a specific due date?
In general, SLAQs should be completed annually and entered and submitted within 1-2 months of completion. Ideally, a baseline SLAQ is conducted before any new wellness-related intervention activities begin for the upcoming school or program year. Annual re-assessment should occur within 1 calendar month the following year (e.g., if Time 1 = Sept 1, 2022, then Time 2 is somewhere in between Aug 1 – Oct 1, 2023).
For sites operating on a school year timeline, SLAQs may be completed at the beginning of the school year (e.g., August or September) and then reported in the PEARS PSE module for the coming fiscal year.
Example: If you conduct a school SLAQ in August 2022 and are using those results to plan your CFHL work for the 2022-23 school year, you would report this SLAQ under “needs assessments” in your FFY 2023 PEARS PSE report for this school.
If you are not beginning any PSE intervention activity until later in the fiscal year or the next fiscal year, please discuss with the SLAQ team the best time to conduct SLAQs for those sites. Some sites may also prefer to complete SLAQs at the end of the program year (i.e., April – July) – the SLAQ team would be happy to discuss this option with you as well.
Contact the SLAQ team at: EvaluateSnapEd@ucanr.edu
Check out our Evaluation Activity Timeline resource for more guidance.
Can LHD staff complete a SLAQ based on other assessments a site may have completed?
We strongly recommend that site staff complete the assessments themselves. We recognize that there may be challenges to obtaining buy-in at all sites, and that even with buy-in staff may not find time to complete and return forms. We encourage you to work with staff to find ways to make the process as easy and efficient as possible, without reducing data quality. In most cases, the information filled in on other assessments will not be sufficient to accurately respond to SLAQ questions. If a site will be carrying out more than one assessment, we recommend collecting the data for both simultaneously.
When should the LHD Activity Checklist be completed?
The LHD Activity Checklist can be completed or updated throughout the year, with 1 per site submitted at the end of the school or program year, once all CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL) related activities are completed. Find LACs on the SLAQ Questionnaires webpage, organized by setting.
Take a look at our Evaluation Activity Timeline resource for more guidance.