Introduction The article Program Evaluation: Strategies to Facilitate Agencies’ Use of Evaluation in Program Management and Policy Making discusses the United States Government Accountability Office attempting to view how various federal agencies utilize program evaluations The Government Accountability Office (GOA) “examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions”( U.S Government Accountability Office, 2013, p. 1). The article discusses a sample of 4,391 individuals split from a larger population of those employed by federal agencies. Of the population the individuals consisted of program managers and supervisors from 24 executive agencies including the Chief Evaluation Office, Administration for Children and Families, and Food Nutrition Service. From the dates of 2012 and 2013 a web-based survey was administered in an effort to view how program and performance evaluations are being used and complications of performance measures and information. Part I One strength according to the article, when the participants were interviewed is that some of the mangers from these federal agencies who had evaluations reported the tool is useful and beneficial to improving and assess the programs. It was founded that program activities such as developing performance goals and sharing what works are ways that benefitted their
The assessment is used to decide whether a program accomplishes the goals of the program and ensures stakeholders stay on task producing constantly improving results by inspecting all areas of the program, including determining needs, analyzing program costs, examining employee roles and their responsibilities, conducting an economic and efficiency audit, and deciding the next steps the program should undertake.
First, would look at my measurement method to make sure that it is reliable and valid. Making sure that the measurements are representing the people and the program accurately, enough sample size is use to represent the program, and make sure there is no participants contamination. Second, the time from when the program started and when the evaluation process starts can also show that the program have no impact. It takes a long time for programs to work out the kink and bumps along the way and sometimes having an evaluation conducted within a year will not show the program at its full potential. There is also the sleeper effect where the program will not show impact until a much later time. Having an open and clear communication with the stakeholders will let me know what they are looking in the program evaluation so that I can focus on those aspects to make sure I use accurate
To ensure that my program evaluation is objective, credible and fair I would employ internal and external counselors or advisors as well as align my program evaluation with the standards and practices of the professional body of evaluators. These “advisors “may or may not include the program stakeholders, but would not negate the formal process of collaborating with key stakeholders. Rather, the purpose of my advisor team is to see and hear things I missed.
To help program directors meet these challenges, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families developed a series of evaluations that explain program evaluation-where the teacher evaluates each child that enters into the Head Start. Good program evaluations help to improve program operations, measure program performance and effects and document important lessons for other programs. With this information, program managers are better able to direct limited resources to where they are most needed and most effective.
In order to implement a program evaluation to determine client gains, there will be a team consisting of myself as the lead consultant, 3-4 program evaluation support staff members who will assist in the evaluation process and one staff member from the center being included to provide relevant center information. Key staff from the center will be asked to form an advisory group where all evaluation measures, outcomes and processes will be discussed, approved and presented.
As the first organization in Missouri to implement Priority Based Budgeting, prior to their administrative review each department head is encouraged to perform a review of programs offered by their department and to establish what programs are not meeting the results identified by the board. The purpose of this process is to allow for reallocation of resources to programs that are determined to need more funding, in place of simply incrementally increasing the departmental line item budget. Aside from simply eliminating the programs that are not achieving desired results, the directors are encouraged to develop solutions to how the identified programs may perform more efficiently. Examples include identifying programs that may be:
Program evaluation is a system that determines a program’s effectiveness and efficiency. This means whatever the programs expectations are must be kept. Efficiency is measured by the outcomes that are achieved with effort, limited time and additional resources. Excellent program evaluation includes subjective or objective information based on many different options. Human Services programs are important to evaluate for numerous reasons. The program can save time by finding out what works or doesn’t work for them. Making the community more aware of the program and how it benefits participants. The ability to prove the program’s effectiveness can help raise additional funding. The staff of the agency will be able to identify strengths and weakness. Also, bring more awareness to the Human Services field by educating other programs how to get started.
The Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program at the University of Texas at Arlington has helped me to grow both personally and professionally. The top three take-aways from this program that I feel can be utilized in any career path include the knowledge I gained on how to conduct and present action research, the writing skillset I developed which aided me in becoming a better writer, and the training I received on how to be an effective leader.
Evaluation of the program should be ongoing, in the best effort to target issues within the program as efficiently as possible. Evaluation should be built into the program, making it effortless for those involved to provide the necessary information to create useful evaluations. Additionally, any evaluation should be cost effective, so as to not hinder the program as a whole. Any evaluations must also be done ethically and conducted competently. It is also important to disseminate the results of evaluations to interested and appropriate audiences.
Program evaluators have to make a determination in the planning of their evaluations as to what success means or looks like. They also have to be ready for data gathered that was not intended or expected. Each of the evaluation models discussed help to paint a picture of the worth of a program whether subjectively or objectively using qualitative and quantitative methods of data gathering. The result is the review of program efficiency, effectiveness, and impact and that all wraps up into whether the program did what it said it would all while showing a return on the investment both in non-exorbitant spending and sustained behavior change that positively moves the needle toward an organizational
Evaluation: Numerous factors evaluate the impact of policies, to see if they are solving the problems identified and accomplishing their goals. Evaluation looks at costs and benefits of policies as well as their indirect and unintended effects. The output of evaluation may be no change, minor modification overall, or even termination. The feedback provided by evaluation is injected back into the agenda setting stage.
Another model of evaluation based on the personal observations makes the use of intensive personal observations and conversations with the stakeholders would be the proponents of “qualitative or naturalistic” argues that only a deep and thorough understanding of a program will permit the most helpful with the evaluation. Offering the “expert opinion model” where the evaluator must be the data-gathering instrument; yet, a greater emphasis is placed on the understanding the experiences to such issues.
The incumbent will be planning, analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of these programs, including performance management and reporting systems. This will require the incumbent to applied fact-finding and analytical techniques and methods to gather and evaluate information and systematically draw conclusions; gathered, assembled and analyzed facts;
Program evaluation is an important tool to show that the health interventions have been effective and they also intend to improve the health of the target population. Evaluation helps define the worth of a program. It is imperative to conduct program evaluation in order to provide feedback to improve the effectiveness of the program. Evaluation plans should be developed at the beginning of the health program interventions. The CDC framework for program evaluation is comprised of the following steps:1) Engage stakeholders; 2) Describe the program; 3) Focus on evaluation design; 4) Gather credible evidence; 5) Justify conclusions; 6) Ensure use and share lessons learned. Also listed are the four standards for assessing the quality of evaluation activities: utility, feasibility, propriety, and accuracy (CDC, 2013). According to an article
I. Description of test components: A manual, test forms for child and teen, profile sheets for child and teen, scoring template for child and teen, audio CD, and handbook.