The University of Missouri Extension needed to develop an annual program review process that collaboratively engaged county-level stakeholders. The results from the first 2 years highlight the results, challenges, and implications of the design process. The annual review process needs to be adaptive, responsive, and reflective from year to year…

Sound evaluation planning requires numerous decisions about how constructs in a program theory will be translated into measures and instruments that produce evaluation data. This article, the first in a dialogue exchange, examines how decisions about measurement are (and should be) made, especially in the context of small-scale local program…

This casebook provides a reference and technical assistance tool for citizens and consumers with varying levels of knowledge or experience in the field of evaluation and monitoring, focusing on mental health centers. The purposes of this casebook and current knowledge about citizen evaluation are discussed. The 51 case summaries presented are…

Family resource centers (FRC) are emerging as a promising program approach to solving urgent social problems. Evaluation plays an important role in learning how these programs work, what their impact is, and whether they should be expanded. However, FRCs pose unique challenges to evaluation. This report considers the challenges to evaluating FRCs,…

Intended for use by local education agencies and communities in developing and improving their literacy programs, this publication presents, in rating scale form, the elements that are essential in creating programs that are effective and comprehensive. The areas to be rated by the scale include leadership, community involvement, program…

This community living assessment tool for parents of children with deaf-blindness was developed to help parents identify the strengths and weaknesses of their child's residential program using a user-friendly instrument. Three areas of assessment are covered: physical attributes of the home, available resources for promoting capabilities, and…

This document is comprised of the 1997 issues of a quarterly newsletter of the Harvard Family Research Project, designed to share new ideas and experiences in evaluating systems reform and comprehensive child and family services. The first issue focuses on evaluation methodology and includes articles on the following topics: (1) mixing evaluation…

AmeriCorps is a national initiative that involves citizens in strengthening America's communities through community service. This document presents findings of a cost-benefit analysis of two AmeriCorps programs in Washington State--the Hoquiam Project and the Lake Chelan Project. In calculating annual costs, the study included both federal dollars…

This report describes a study of 23 community-based child advocacy projects, located in 14 states and 20 cities, and outlines a strategy for evaluating such projects. Data on each project's history, development, and current activities were obtained. Data were analyzed to (1) determine how such projects are started and become operational, (2)…

The Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF), based in Ottawa (Ontario), works with Canada Native communities to reduce incidents of physical and sexual abuse, children in care, suicide, and incarceration among residential school survivors and their families. This guide has been prepared to help communities evaluate their AHF-funded activities in the…

A model is presented for preparing community-based consultants to work on-site beside the staff of early childhood programs in order to improve the quality of these early childhood environments. The model provides measures of global quality in participating community-based programs, to determine the quality of care received before and after…

The checklists, tips, and examples will help persons involved with youth participation projects demonstrate the impact of a project. They will also help check for project strengths and weaknesses. Including the introduction, there are seven chapters. Chapter 2, "How Should Your Evaluation Look?" discusses what questions should be asked,…

Designed to assist providers of community-based employment training programs in the assessment of their efforts, this manual provides a conceptual framework and practical advice for planning and carrying out locally directed evaluations. After section I explains the purpose of the manual, section II presents a planning guide that establishes…

This reaction to an article (Bailey, 2001) that describes three potential levels of accountability for providing family support in early intervention and preschool programs, recommends helping all family members of children with disabilities, helping parents identify programs in the community, and identifying the most appropriate professionals for…

This is an edited version of the overview chapter from a report on a 1971 survey of state educational assessment programs. The procedures used in carrying out the survey are described, and a number of major trends in the approach to state assessment are discussed. Finally, some of the more important problems encountered by the states in their…