Attainment Scotland Fund - process evaluation - Scottish Attainment Challenge: local authority leads survey report 2022-2023

Methodology

This Report contains analysis of the responses to a survey of local authority Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) leads.^[1] The Survey of Local Authority Scottish Attainment Challenge Leads was issued on 11 May and closed on 12 June 2023 and received 19 responses from across the 32 local authorities, which constitutes a 59% response rate. Survey methodology was utilised because it is a key investigation tool which can collect nuanced feedback and opinions, reported anonymously which when analysed results in key insights and learning for the ASF process evaluation strand.

Responses include seven responses from previous Challenge Authorities, five responses from local authorities previously in receipt of Schools Programme funding and seven local authorities previously in receipt of PEF only.

In previous years of the ASF evaluation, local authority views were sought via the Local Authority Survey which was circulated to Directors of Education. This survey achieved between 15 (46%) and 28 (87%) responses from across the 32 local authorities. Attainment Scotland Fund Local Authority survey data gathered during 2015 to 2021 was not published as standalone reports, but rather contributed to the annual ASF evaluation reports which brought together data from a range of sources.

The analysis was undertaken using Excel, and utilised the funding stream previously received by the local authority as a key categorisation, namely former Challenge Authority local authorities, former local authorities in receipt of Schools Programme funding, and local authorities formerly in receipt of PEF-only.