CONTENTS

Table of Contents
Introduction

1. Introduction to Evaluation
2. What Does an Evaluation Project Look Like
3. Understanding Types of Evaluation Projects
4. Preparing for Your Evaluation

Supplements
Resources

Evaluation for the Unevaluated:
Program Evaluation 101

Formative and Summative Evaluations

Jack eagerly opened Penny's file and found some helpful descriptions of types of evaluations:

• Formative Evaluations. Think of the "formed" part. This is a study of how prevention programs are "formed, put together, conducted, implemented, etc. There are many types, but government staff mainly look at "process" evaluations. This can also be called an "implementation" evaluation.
  
  In plain English, it asks, How does your program attempt to achieve its intended results (for example, reducing substance use among latchkey children)? So, your evaluation asks, What process is Cool After School using to move kids out of the at-risk category? Sometimes these are called "effort" evaluations.
  
  
• Summative Evaluations. Think of the "sum" part, as in total. It means add it up and tell me what happened. Like a math formula:
  
  Latchkey kids + Cool After School = What?
  
  If your program is working, the answer is reduced substance use among latchkey kids. Different types of summative evaluations are "outcome, "efficiency, and "impact."
  
  As a practical matter, the City government is primarily concerned with the short term, or "outcome, evaluation. Impact evaluations look at long-term or sustained results after the kids leave your program. We rarely have money for that!

Penny helped clear things up for Jack. He focused on the three main types of evaluation that might be appropriate for Cool After School.