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The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.

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Update: This pilot is completed.

In mid-November we sent out an invitation to pilot Afterschool Evaluation 101: How to Evaluate an Expanded Learning Program. This guide is designed to help out-of-school time program/expanded learning directors—with little or no evaluation experience—develop an evaluation strategy. We will use the feedback gathered through the pilot process to enhance future versions of the guide. Since announcing our invitation, we have received many questions about the guide and what it would entail to become a pilot site. To help clarify the pilot process, we are providing a list of the most frequently asked questions:

Can you tell us more about Afterschool Evaluation 101—what is its purpose and how will it help us?
Afterschool Evaluation 101 is a how-to guide for conducting an evaluation. It is designed to help out-of-school time/expanded learning program directors who have little or no evaluation experience develop an evaluation strategy. The guide will walk you through the early planning stages, help you select the evaluation design and data collection methods that are best suited to your program, and help you analyze the data and present the results. You can learn more about Afterschool Evaluation 101 by reading its introduction, which you can find by downloading the tool here. (top)

May we use the tool even if we are not part of the pilot program?
Yes! You do not need to become a pilot site to use the tool. Anyone may use it, and we welcome your feedback at any time. We would be especially interested to obtain feedback from seasoned evaluators on suggestions for improving the tool. You may download the tool here.  (top)

Are we eligible to apply?
We are looking for a variety of afterschool and expanded learning programs that are either in the beginning stages of planning an evaluation, or are already in the process of conducting one. You may apply regardless of your program’s size, what activities you offer, or who funds your program. (top)

Our program is not in the United States. Are we eligible to apply?
Yes. (top)

We have already started our evaluation. Are we eligible to apply?
Yes, though we urge you to review the guide to assess how it might be useful to you—some modules may be more helpful than others. (top)

What will be expected of us if we are selected to pilot Afterschool Evaluation 101?
We will ask for your feedback at key points throughout your evaluation. Our inquiries will focus on how useful the guide has been to your project, and how we could enhance it to be more helpful. We will offer a small stipend to thank you for your time. (top)

Will pilot organizations receive individual support as we conduct our evaluations?
No, Afterschool Evaluation 101 is a self-administered tool, although we will be able to answer any questions you have about the guide. (top)

How will we benefit from taking part in the pilot process?
Our hope is that Afterschool Evaluation 101 will help you plan and conduct your evaluation. You will receive a small stipend for the feedback you provide. Also, your participation will help make Afterschool Evaluation 101 an even more valuable tool for other practitioners who will use it in the future. (top)

How long will the pilot process take?
Afterschool Evaluation 101 is designed to be used throughout your evaluation, so the length of time will depend on the duration of your evaluation. We will work with you to ensure that the amount of time you spend providing us with feedback is manageable. (top)

Should we apply for our local site individually, or for our larger program as a whole?
You should apply to participate in the pilot at whatever level you plan to conduct your evaluation: If you are conducting an evaluation of your local program site, you should apply as your local site. If you are conducting an evaluation of your program’s national initiative, you should apply as the national initiative. (top)

May we submit multiple applications for multiple sites?
Yes. If you are planning to conduct individual evaluations—using different methodologies—at more than one site, you should submit multiple applications. However, if you are evaluating multiple sites as part of your overall evaluation strategy, you may want to submit one application that encompasses all sites. (top)

We have already done previous evaluation work. Will this tool be helpful to our program?
Afterschool Evaluation 101 is designed to be a beginner’s guide, so it may not be as helpful to you if you have already done a significant amount of evaluation work. However, there may be specific modules that could help you refine your existing evaluation strategy. We urge you to review the guide to determine whether you would find it useful. (top)

Does this guide provide an assessment tool?
No, though the guide does provide some information to help you select assessment tools that would work the best for your evaluation. You may also want to consult our resource, Measurement Tools for Evaluating Out-of-School Time Programs: An Evaluation Resource, which describes a select set of instruments and tools that can be obtained and used for on-the-ground program evaluation. (top)

What data will you collect from pilot programs and what information will you share with us?
We will collect feedback on your experience using the tool. We will not collect evaluation data from individual programs—programs are responsible for their own data collection and reporting. We will use your feedback to make improvements to Afterschool Evaluation 101 with the goal of improving it for program directors who will conduct evaluations in the future. We may also share specific feedback with our audiences. (top)

How do we become a pilot site?
We closed the application period as of December 20, 2011.  (top)

We have already applied to pilot the tool. How do we opt out?
If you would prefer to be removed from consideration, please let us know here. (top)

What if my question is not answered here?
If you did not find the answer to your question in the FAQ, please contact Erin Harris at erin_harris@gse.harvard.edu.

Thank you for your interest in our new evaluation tool. As always, we appreciate your thoughtful feedback to ensure we are providing the most useful resources to inform your important work that supports children, families, and communities.

© 2016 Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College
Published by Harvard Family Research Project