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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Out-of-School Time Issue #1
The Fall 2000 issue, the first of a series of two dedicated to the field of out-of-school time and after school, addresses the challenges and possibilities for evaluating after school programs in the new era of accountability. The issue includes an interview with National Institute on Out-of-School Time founder Michelle Seligson, articles relating on-the-ground experiences with evaluation, and our new column, “Ask the Expert.”
From the Director's Desk
An introduction to the first issue on Out-of-School Time by HFRP's Founder & Director, Heather B. Weiss, Ed.D.
Interview With Michelle Seligson
HFRP asked Michelle Seligson, founder of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, about the history of the out-of-school time field, the challenges it currently faces, and the role evaluation and research play.
Ask the Expert
Karen Walker, director of community studies at Public/Private Ventures (P/PV), reveals what evaluation approaches can be used to understand the connection between academic outcomes and program activities.
Building the After School Field: A Conversation With Evaluators, Policymakers, and Practitioners
Karen Horsch and Kathleen Hart of HFRP summarize HFRP's conversations with after school evaluators, researchers, and stakeholders to map the out-of-school time field.
Reflections on Access and Equity Implications for After School Program Evaluations
Laurie Olsen, Executive Director California Tomorrow, highlights the importance of addressing issues of access and equity in the evaluation of after school programs.
Strengthening Local Evaluation Capacity in Rural Communities
Using a participatory/empowerment evaluation approach with Save the Children, Linda Morrell and Kenneth Terao from the Aguirre Group offer reflections and lessons learned from their experience.
Federal Funding in Out-of School Time With Accountability Requirements and Evaluations
These Web documents were produced by HFRP as part of its initial efforts to “map” the out-of-school time field, and detail federal funding streams for out-of-school time programs and related programming alongside their accountability requirements and evaluations. A summary section offers a narrative description of each funding stream. Funding streams are classified as major or minor depending on the amount of money they make available for out-of-school time efforts.
Free. Available online only.
Organizations in Out-of-School Time: An Introduction
The out-of-school time field has grown rapidly over the past decade, with a constant influx of new voices and approaches. This publication is a summary, but far from a complete review, of organizations active in out-of-school time, grouped by topical area.
Free. Available online only.
From the Director's Desk
An introduction to the first issue on Methodology by HFRP's Founder & Director, Heather B. Weiss, Ed.D.
Simplifying Complex Initiative Evaluation
Julia Coffman of Harvard Family Research Project writes about using a logic model approach to evaluate a large and diverse foundation initiative.
At What Price? Benefit-Cost Analysis and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Program Evaluation
James Edwin Kee, professor at George Washington University, discusses the purposes, strengths, and limitations of benefit-cost and cost-effectiveness analyses to determine the relative costs and benefits of the programs.
Evaluating Collaboratives: Challenges and Practice
Ellen Taylor-Powell from the University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension examines the challenges of collaboratives, and how they stretch us to think about evaluation in new ways.
Interview With Michael Scriven
Michael Scriven, past president of the American Evaluation Association, shares some of his insights about the challenges facing evaluation, evaluation as a distinct discipline, and links between evaluation and practice, including organizational learning.
Cooperative Extension’s Capacity to Support Programs For Children,Youth, and Families At Risk: The Organizational Change Survey
Donna Peterson, Mary Marczak, Sherry Betts, and Erik Earthman, The University of Arizona Institute for Children, Youth and Families, write about their evaluation of the Children, Youth and Families At Risk (CYFAR) National Initiative.
Community-Based Research: Research for Action
Jill Chopyak, Executive Director of the Loka Institute, details her organization's work on community action research.
The Evaluation Exchange Readers' Survey
JuNelle Harris of Harvard Family Research Project reveals the results of the recent satisfaction survey of The Evaluation Exchange readers.
Methodology (#15)
This issue of The Evaluation Exchange includes several articles on methodological topics, particularly those involving complex initiatives or problems. Topics inlcude the logic model approach to evaluate large and diverse foundation initiatives, the difference between cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis, the challenges to evaluation in the coming years, and community action research.
Quality of Life: A Framework for Examining the Impact of Welfare Reform
Danielle Hollar of Harvard Family Research Project writes about the possibility of using an approach that provides a more comprehensive picture of the quality of people’s lives to examine the impact of welfare reform on individuals.
New and Noteworthy
The New and Noteworthy section features an annotated list of papers, organizations, initiatives, and other resources related to the issue's theme of Methodology.
Electronic Mailbox
The Electronic Mailbox section features a list of useful resources on the Internet relating to the issue's theme of Methodology.
Evaluating the National Replication of a Prevention Program for Youth and Their Families: Middle School Families and Schools Together
Laura Pinsoneault and James Sass from Alliance for Children and Families on their organization's replication and evaluation of the middle school adaptation of the Families and Schools Together (FAST) program.
From the Director's Desk
An introduction to the issue on Children and Youth by HFRP's Founder & Director, Heather B. Weiss, Ed.D.
Reflections on Evaluating Strength-Based Approaches to Youth Development
Dale Blyth, Director of the Center for 4-H Youth Development, discusses evaluating strength-based approaches to youth development, which focus on developing desired traits in youth.
Children and Youth
This issue of The Evaluation Exchange is devoted to the evaluation of youth programs that support positive youth development. Topics include evaluating strength-based approaches to youth development, youth participation in evaluation, lessons learned from the international community on evaluating youth programs, and foundation grantmaking for children and youth.