Needs Assessment in Education

After a brief introduction to the idea of needs assessment, definitions of terms and an overview of several models are provided and then the steps in one model are described. Categories of methods commonly used in assessing needs are presented along with the explanation that some may fit better earlier in the process and others more toward its end. The final section of the article contains examples of assessments that have been done in education and discussion of their utility for making decisions and forming policies to guide improvement.