Skills building exercise

Program of chose: Early Head Start Program

Program Evaluation Proposal

• Please write the paper with original thoughts, ideas, and reactions to the topic chosen. Be sure to write the paper so it is not difficult for the reader to distinguish own opinions from the opinions of those researched in this submission.
• Please write the paper from the POV of a social worker

Part 1
For this skill-building exercise, assume you are proposing a needs assessment. Answer each of the questions below. Your answers should be thorough and written in essay format. Be sure to identify the name and location of your chosen program.

1. In your own words, what is the program’s goal(s)?
2. What need(s) is the program trying to meet to reach that goal?
3. Develop 1-3 research questions that could drive your needs assessment and explain why these questions would be valuable to answer for the program. To do this, think about things like (1) accessibility of services to intended recipients, (2) awareness of services by intended recipients, (3) availability of services for places/people in need, and (4) how acceptable the service is to intended recipients.
4. What possible data sources could help you answer your research question(s)?
5. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of your approach?

Part 2
For this skill-building exercise, assume you are proposing a process/implementation evaluation. Answer each of the questions below. Your answers should be thorough and written in essay format. Be sure to identify the name and location of your chosen program.

1. In your own words, what services does the program provide to meet its goal(s)?
2. Consider the different foci of process evaluations discussed in your book and this week’s lecture video. Develop 2-3 specific research questions that could drive your evaluation and explain why these questions would be valuable to answer for the program. To do this, think about how findings from your study could inform program decisions about service provision or program administration/management.
3. What possible data sources could help you answer your research question(s)?
4. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of your approach?

Part 3
For this skill-building exercise, you can pick between focusing on outcome evaluation or a cost evaluation. Answer each of the questions below. Your answers should be thorough, clearly informed by the course reading(s) and lecture and written in essay format. Be sure to identify the name and location of your chosen program.

If you picked outcome evaluation, answer these questions:

1. What is the objective of the program and how does it operationalize key outcomes? For example, a program may have the goal of housing clients, and their outcomes may be operationalized as “length of time housed” or “perceived housing stability”.
2. Develop 2-3 outcome-related research questions that could drive your evaluation and explain why these questions would be valuable to answer for the program. For each research question, include the hypothesis you could test in an outcome evaluation.
3. Describe how you might measure your outcome(s) and how you could collect that data.
4. Think back to last module and the topic of process evaluations. What kind(s) of process evaluation question might be useful to examine alongside or after your outcome evaluation? Why?

If you picked cost evaluation, answer these questions:

1. What is the objective of the program and how does it operationalize key outcomes? For example, a program may have the goal of housing clients, and their outcomes may be operationalized as “length of time housed” or “perceived housing stability”.
2. Considering the different “buckets” of costs I talk about in the cost evaluation lecture, describe what you think the program costs might include – you don’t need to list the dollar amount, just describe the different areas of cost. Be as specific as possible. For example, don’t simply say “staff” – describe types of staff and what costs you think are associated with staff (e.g., salary, benefits). You likely won’t be able to assess all cost areas, but you should be able to start a basic list.
3. Discuss how best you think a cost evaluation would benefit this program and write 1 research question with a cost-effectiveness aim and 1 research question with a cost-benefit aim.
4. Think back to last module and the topic of process evaluations. Imagine you conducted a cost evaluation and found that the program is more costly than anticipated and the program leadership is concerned about sustainability. What kind(s) of process evaluation question might be useful to examine after your cost evaluation? Why?