Innovative tool empowers Scout troops to evaluate and strengthen their programs
Scouts BSA introduces its revised Troop Self-Assessment program, which enables Scout troops to evaluate their performance and improve their program quality. The new assessment tool functions as a replacement for Journey to Excellence (JTE) by providing troops with specific methods to enhance their operations.
“The Troop Self-Assessment program puts the power of program improvement directly in the hands of unit leaders,” said Angelique Minett, Chair of Scouts BSA of Scouting America. “This resource reflects our commitment to supporting troops in delivering the best possible Scouting experience to youth across the country.” “The Troop Self-Assessment helps Troop leaders understand their Troop’s strengths and identify opportunities for growth,” said Angelique Minett, Chair of the Scouts BSA program for Scouting America. “We were given feedback that JTE was too complex, took too long, and was only used once per year, if at all. This new resource should be much simpler, more user-friendly, and be a tool Troop leadership can revisit all year.”
The revised self-assessment questionnaires include 9-12 targeted questions that can be completed in approximately 10 minutes. The assessment process should be repeated by troops throughout the year, especially before starting their annual program planning. The surveys provide immediate feedback and connect troops with relevant resources to address identified areas for improvement.
The revised Troop Self-Assessment surveys utilize the Unit Metrics system (https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/The-Future-of-Unit-Service-is-NOW.pdf), which commissioners use to help troops while providing a complete evaluation of program quality indicators. The assessment tools evaluate how often troops conduct outings and measure both program participation rates and suitable activities for different age groups and ranks to verify that all Scouts receive appropriate support.
The Troop Self-Assessment program features essential elements which include:
- Brief, user-friendly surveys requiring minimal time commitment
- Immediate access to tailored resources and improvement strategies
- Data-driven insights for Scoutmasters, troop committees, and patrol leaders’ councils
- Flexible implementation that complements existing planning processes
- Focus on youth engagement and program quality metrics
The revised Troop Self-Assessment program also builds on the existing Troop Self-Assessment, which has been a part of Scouting America literature for years, and was developed with input from Scout leaders across the country and tested in diverse troop settings to ensure its effectiveness across the organization.
The new self-assessment tools will become available to troop leaders through the Troop Leader Resources website starting May 15, 2025. Additional resources including implementation guides and sample improvement plans will be rolled out in the near future.
The Troop Self-Assessment program information can be found at https://troopleader.scouting.org/troop-planning/troop-self-assessment. Please direct your questions and improvement suggestions for Troop Self-Assessments to Scoutsbsachair@scouting.org
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