Isabel Bond listens as Pat Clyde discusses a point with peer monitors 
Lucretia Folks and Helen Trainor during the University of Idaho ETS Peer Review
For more pictures click here

The Northwest Association of Special Programs (NASP) has trained peer monitors available to perform site-visits for TRiO Programs in Region X.  The peer monitors work with a former U.S. Department of Education site-visitor and are willing to share their knowledge with both new and established projects.  The cost of the service itself is provided as a free service to projects with a paid NASP Membership.  The project being reviewed is asked to help with some of the costs associated with bringing the monitors to their institution or agency*.

The peer monitoring program was started by NASP in response to a drop off in the number of site visits conducted by the U.S. Department of Education.  NASP felt that the lack of site visits created a vacuum in which programs might move out of compliance.  The peer monitoring program is a strictly voluntary program that directors can take advantage of as a "technical checkup" on how their programs are doing in complying with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Education.

Having a peer review of your program is a great way to:

This as a valuable service for the Region, for the program being reviewed, and for the monitors. For this reason, all three are asked to contribute to the cost of the monitoring program--the region pays for training the monitors, the monitors contribute their time, and the programs pay for the logistical considerations.  From the program's perspective this means defraying the costs of bringing in a site review team by providing transportation, lodging and meals.  The Co-chairs of the Peer Monitoring Program work with directors to ensure that the costs are kept to a minimum.  If needed, the Co-chairs are willing to discuss helping to defray costs.  It is a good deal for all concerned, but especially the program being review!

Given the limited number of trained peer monitors for each program, please be aware that with the number of projects requesting a review, it may take some effort to set up a timeframe when we have enough peer monitors available for a review.

Feel free to explore this website to learn more about peer monitoring in Region X. If you're interested in a peer review, submit an electronic Review Request, via the above link. If you have additional questions, please contact either Scott Clyde or Savona Holmes at trio@uidaho.edu.

For more information about NASP, please visit the NASP website at:

 http://www.ess.pdx.edu/ets/NASP/