Five Steps to Becoming a Peer Monitor

Introduction / How it Works /   Peer Monitor Training /   One Program Director's Story / Resources

Peer monitor selection and preparation
      Any TRIO project director or full time project administrator is eligible to become a peer-monitor. This assures that monitors both have experience, and have the authority to be away from the program to attend trainings and conduct site reviews. (STEP 1)  

 STEP 2  - Attend a special NASP or UI TRIO Training     
    Candidates participate in a training sponsored by the Northwest Association of Special Programs or the University of Idaho/NASP TRIO Training Project. 
     Although experience is necessary to conduct a site review valuable to the program being evaluated, it is not adequate. A thorough knowledge of the site review process is also necessary. This process is addressed in trainings. 

STEP 3 - Participate in a review of your own programs
     The peer-monitoring candidate must participate in a site review of his/her own program.
     This experience impresses upon the candidate the perspective of the project staff undergoing a review. The process is designed to be instructive without being traumatic. Undergoing a site review
lends insight invaluable to the peer monitors. 

STEP 4 - Observe a peer review
     The peer-monitoring candidate also must participate, as an observer, in a site review of one or more other projects. 
     As a final step in the training process this requirement allows the peer monitor candidate the opportunity to see the process in action without having to isolate compliance issues as per EDGAR, OMB, and Department of Education Regulations. 
     The program being reviewed is not asked to cover the cost of someone participating as an observer. It is the policy of the Peer Review Program to view such observation as professional development and as such it is an allowable program cost for the person being trained. 

STEP 5 - Stay current with regular trainings
     In order to stay current, the peer-monitoring candidate must attend regularly scheduled training, usually held during NASP conferences and attending a legislation/regulation federal training every other year. 
     Apart from staying up-to-date on the rules and regulations governing TRIO programs, this allows peer monitors to address issues as a group, considering them from various different perspectives. 

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