A quality program has measurable program and outcomes-based goals; and a system and plan in place for gathering data, engaging in data-driven decision-making, implementing program improvement strategies, and regularly reassessing outcomes.
Featured Resource
Afterschool Evaluation 101: How to Evaluate an Expanded Learning Program
Whether you are new to evaluation or looking to improve your existing systems, this guide from the Harvard Family Research Project is for you. The guide will walk you through developing a logic model, choosing the focus of your evaluation, selecting the evaluation design, and analyzing the data.
Research & Best Practices
Afterschool Youth Outcomes Inventory – New York Statewide Afterschool Network
Creative Ways to Solicit Youth Input: A Hands-On Guide for Youth Practitioners – Public Profit
Out-of-School Time Program Evaluation: Tools for Action – Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
Afterschool Quality: The Process of Program Improvement – National Institute on Out-of-School Time
Data Sharing Resources for Afterschool and Expanded Learning Program and Systems (Publication) – Harvard Family Research Project
Learning for All: The Value of Field Experience in Training a New Generation of Program Evaluators – Harvard Family Research Project
Data Sharing Resources for Afterschool and Expanded Learning Programs and Systems – Harvard Family Research Project
Framing Program Evaluation: Why We Should Tinker With Theories of Change and Logic Models – Harvard Family Research Project
Data-Driven Decision Making In Out-of-School Time Programs – Child Trends
Building Management Information Systems to Coordinate Citywide Afterschool Programs: A Toolkit for Cities – National League of Cities: Institute for Youth, Education, & Families
From Soft Skills to Hard Data: Measuring Youth Program Outcomes – The Forum for Youth Investment
Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scales – Pearson
4-H Positive Youth Development Student Questionnaire
Evaluation Instrument Search – University of Minnesota
Framing Program Evaluation: Why We Should Tinker with Theories of Change and Logic Models – Harvard Family Research Project
A Youth Development Approach to Evaluation: Critical Participatory Action Research – Afterschool Matters
Looking at the Data: Afterschool Programs Using Data to Serve Students– Afterschool Alliance
United Way Out-of-School Time Toolkit: Use Data to Measure, Evaluate, & Communicate Results
Reflect and Improve: A Tool Kit for Engaging Youth and Adults as Partners in Program Evaluation – Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development
Dabbling in the Data: A Hands-On Guide to Participatory Data Analysis – Public Profit