The main reason to do program evaluation is to see if the program works. But that is a deceptively simple statement. When you actually contemplate a program evluation you are assuming what "works" means and why it may be important to you. Consider some of the typical reasons that program evaluation is wanted and warranted. Choose Feedback to learn more about each of the reasons.
Typical Reasons
Complying with Mandate
School boards and external funders may require that programs be
evaluated in order for them to approved and funded. The federal
government has mandated that schools receiving money from the Save and
Drug Free School areas must have a method of evaluating their program
and present that plan in order to obtain funding. Many state and local
agencies or private foundations are moving to a stronger stand on
required evaluation. Even when the resources for a program are not
obtained externally, decision makers are usually interested in having
proof that the resources were well-spent.
Making certain the CRE Program is working as Planned
When a school decides to implement a conflict management
effort, whether it is a peer mediation cadre program or a peaceable
school initiative, there are needs that have been identified or goals
that have been articulated. The program is developed to meet those
needs or achieve those goals. One of the most compelling reasons to
evaluate a program is to determine whether those needs have indeed
been addressed or whether the goals have been achieved. Assume that
your elementary school started a program because there had been a sudden
outbreak of fighting during recess and lunch. The need driving the
program was to reduce the amount of fighting and the goal was to see
at least a 50% reduction in physical altercations between students.
Evaluating your program would examine, at least in part, the extent
to which the conflict management was related to the amount
of fighting among students. Although it may seem simple, it is important
to carefully consider goal setting for conflict management
programs and how that is linked to program evaluation that monitors
the achievement of goals.
Improving a Program by identifying Strengths and Weaknesses
A good reason to do program evaluation is to be able to identify things
that are working and things that are not in order to know what to
repeat and what to fix. Sometimes we approach program evaluation
with an eye for the negative, or the things that aren’t what
we’d like to see. It’s important to remember that assessment
of both strengths and weaknesses are helpful. In terms of strengths,
a program evaluation may show you that one reason you witnessed the
hoped-for reduction in fighting was that teachers were very committed
to the program and kept reinforcing the ideas to students whenever
possible. Your program evaluation may suggest that program effectiveness
was due to the quality of assistance gained from outside trainers
or the quality of their curriculum. By identifying these strengths
you can decide how to maintain teacher commitment and enthusiasm
or decide to retain the same trainers and curriculum as the program
continues.
A good program evaluation will help you identify strengths that were
expected as well as those that were not. Sometimes, the reasons a program
works are unanticipated and program evaluation helps us recognize and
perpetuate those. For example, in one middle school that implemented
a whole school program, the school saw a very strong increase in school
climate. The program evaluation showed that increase, but also helped
identify the role that non-teaching assistants (NTAs) had on the increase.
In this school, NTAs were parents or community members who volunteered
to act as aids, hall monitors, lunchroom attendants, etc. The program
evaluation found that the NTAs were talking very favorably about the
conflict management program to other parents and community
members outside of the school. This support in turn, increased others’ interest
in the program and their complements to the teachers and administrators
about the program. The teachers and staff felt appreciated and rewarded,
which increased their sense of importance and the general climate in
the school. Prior to the program evaluation, the NTAs had not been
identified as an important link in the overall effort. After the program
evaluation, they were seen as a source of strength and a “best
practice” of involving NTAs in training and program development
was emphasized.
Expanding a Program
Program expansion often follows an initially positive program evaluation.
The program is expanded by introducing it into new schools if the effort
is at a district level. Or, it can be expanded by adding more components
to the program. For example, program evaluation can provide a good
estimate of the staff support necessary for maximum impact of the program.
This information is crucial for effective planning and resource allocation
in new programs. If the role of NTAs has proven to be a strength
of successful conflict management efforts, strategic planning
for new programs may first attend to shoring up the NTAs or encouraging
their commitment to the program before implementation. In any expansion
effort, whether in the same school or across schools, program evaluation
provides the road map for success. It offers the opportunity to learn
from previous mistakes, to preserve best practices, and to enhance
the efficiency of the process.
Gaining Additional Resources
People love a winner. This is an old maxim, but a true one when it
comes to decisions about where to put already scarce resources. In
education, there is little reason to throw good money after bad,
especially when a lot of good programs vie for limited funding. Thus,
one of the main reasons to do program evaluation is to make the strongest
case for why you should continue to receive support for your efforts. If
you have solid program evaluation you can provide this evidence and
prove that you have the competence to continue overseeing the processes
and outcomes of the conflict management program.
Reasons for Program Evaluation
Typical Reasons