In colleges and universities, organizational context is critical for the use of assessment data in program improvement. This paper examines ways of assessing organizational readiness for the kind of learning-organization environment that features an institution-wide, ongoing, highly valued system for using student learning outcome data in curriculum design. We propose a five-stage developmental model, and illustrate its utility with two empirical strategies. An Assessment Climate Survey for department chairpersons and an assessment report analysis are provided to demonstrate how this developmental perspective can aid internal evaluators in directing attention to the organizational context and to steps needed to promote systemic change from an externally driven, top-down, mandated assessment process to an internally valued, learning-centered process.#2009Conference #AssessmentinHigherEducation #EvaluationUse #Evaluation2009