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Interested in program evaluation but don’t know how to get started? Have you already begun program evaluation but are unsure of what to do next? Are you a program evaluator supporting the improvement work of an organization and would like to learn more about how to advance the staff efforts in improvement? No matter where you are in the program evaluation process, we recommend you step back and reflect on some older and newer insights the evaluation and improvement science fields offer about conducting effective and usable evaluations.

Harvard Family Research Project dedicates this issue of the FINE Newsletter to exploring ideas and practices of formative program evaluation and improvement science. Here you will find:

• Lessons on conceptualizing evaluation for learning and continuous improvement; 
• Insights that Candice Bocala, adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has gained in teaching the course Learning From Practice: Evaluation and Improvement Science, as well as her course syllabus;
• Practical accounts of how organizations develop their theories of change and work with external evaluators; and
• Resources to strengthen evaluation practice and enhance relationships between programs and evaluators.

We invite you to share this issue with interested friends and colleagues. We also hope you’ll send us any comments that you have!

Commentary

Why We Need to Slow Down When It Comes to Evaluation Read about lessons HFRP has learned from supporting evaluation efforts in the field. This commentary highlights the value of investing time to carefully consider the theory behind a program for evaluation to yield usable and actionable information.

Voices From the Field

	Insights From Teaching a Graduate Evaluation and Improvement Science Course In teaching Learning from Practice: Evaluation and Improvement Science at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Candice Bocala creates ample opportunities for students and partner organizations to work together as they explore the complexities of program evaluation. Discover the three insights Bocala has learned about program evaluation along the way.
	Framing Program Evaluation: Why We Should Tinker With Theories of Change and Logic Models While evaluation needs may vary, all organizations can benefit from utilizing theory-based evaluation tools to frame evaluation efforts. This article explores how three organizations developed or refined their program’s theory of change and corresponding logic model.
	Learning for All: The Value of Field Experience in Training a New Generation of Program Evaluators Field experience in evaluation inquiry is a promising approach to preparing the next generation of evaluators. Learn what one group of student consultants and organizations did to make a field experience in evaluative inquiry a positive one.

Research & Resources from Harvard Family Research Project

	Explore: Resources to Strengthen Program Evaluation Interested in developing a logic model, learning more about improvement science, or advancing your program evaluation? This guide offers valuable resources practitioners can utilize to strengthen their evaluative work and develop more productive relationships with evaluators.
	Bibliography of Family Involvement Research Published in 2014 This latest update to the Family Involvement Bibliography Series provides faculty and others interested in family involvement with a compilation of journal articles, dissertations, theses, research briefs, papers, reports, and books on family engagement from 2014.

Tips & Tools

Family Involvement News

December 2015 Family Involvement News Discover newly released reports chronicling the significance of family engagement on children’s behavioral and academic outcomes. From the effectiveness of home visits to the importance of building a child’s vocabulary, this issue’s offerings bring new attention to family‒school-community partnerships.