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Session Title: Evaluation and Learning in a Changing Landscape: How Changes to First 5 LA's Evaluation Framework are Integrated by Evaluation Contractors

Panel Session 103 to be held in Mencken Room on Wednesday, November 7, 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM

Sponsored by the Government Evaluation TIG

Chair(s):

Marc payday loan  Davidson payday loan ,  First 5 Los Angeles,  mdavidson@first5.org

Abstract: A panel will present on the new and improved First 5 LA Evaluation Framework and the manner in which the revised evaluation principles contained therein have tackled by two First 5 LA-funded evaluation contractors. A representative from First 5 LA will present on the new framework, and the two evaluation contractors will discuss their learning and the impact on evaluation as they have weathered the process of the ever-evolving First 5 LA evaluation framework over the years. First 5 LA was established through Proposition 10, passed by California voters passed in 1998, establishing a 50 cent-per-pack tax on tobacco products which generates approximately $700 million a year to be invested in the healthy development of children from prenatal to age 5. First 5 LA is the organization that was founded in Los Angeles County to disseminate these funds. As the largest of the 58 California Counties, Los Angeles receives the majority of Proposition 10 funds from the state. First 5 LA has devoted a significant proportion of their resources to promoting and supporting evaluation of funded programs. The panel will be comprised of a representative from First 5 LA and funded evaluation firms charged with conducting comprehensive evaluation of three First 5 LA initiatives. The issues to be explored are a) the process of developing a county-wide vision for evaluation; and b) realizing the core principles in a concrete manner for the purposes of real-life evaluation work.

The Evolution of First 5 LA's Evaluation Framework Marc payday loan  Davidson payday loan ,  First 5 Los Angeles,  mdavidson@first5.org First 5 LA made a strategic decision to hold itself accountable for using its resources to produce real, measurable results in improving the well being of all children prenatal through five and their families in Los Angeles County. The process of embracing accountability, with evaluation at the forefront, and the Evaluation Framework which was evolved for First 5 LA will be described. First 5 LA articulated a mission designed to conduct evaluation at four levels: 1) County, 2) Goal, 3) Grantee, and 4) Los Angeles County Children and Families Commission (the board charged with oversight). Dr. Davidson will describe First 5 LA's vision of a comprehensive, multi-level and introspective approach to accountability, and how First 5 LA works with its partners throughout Los Angeles County to track progress in achieving goals and objectives as well as the County's Five Desired Outcomes for Children.

First 5 LA (Los Angeles) and First 5 Kern County Evaluation Frameworks: Impact on Evaluation Grant payday loan  Power payday loan ,  Semics LLC,  grantdpower@gmail.com Community-Developed Initiatives (CDI) is one of two major funding approaches adopted by First 5 LA in its 2001-2004 Strategic Plan. CDI was designed as an open funding process supporting innovative community-driven strategies that address needs related to children 0-5 and their families. In September, 2003, Semics, LLC, (Semics) was contracted to conduct an 'initiative-wide' evaluation of CDI, to be completed over a three-year period. The objective of this evaluation is to determine how the experience of CDI grantees can contribute to a deeper understanding of the effects of project activities funded by First 5 LA. Using this approach, the CDI Evaluation is intended to elicit and facilitate various types of learning that can be derived from this open-ended solicitation approach to funding (contrasted with a Commission-driven initiative with a singular goal or focus). In addition, Dr. Power served as the evaluation lead for an external review of First 5 Kern County's county-wide evaluation, and will compare and contrast the evaluation needs related to First 5 LA versus First 5 Kern County. Differing evaluation frameworks between the two counties and the manner in which each framework translates into evaluation practice will be explored.

Evaluation of a County-Wide Hotline for Families With Young Children and Their Service Providers Elizabeth payday loan  Harris payday loan ,  EMT Associates Inc,  eharris@emt.org The First 5 LA Parent Help Line is a warm line designed to provide information, referral and support to families with children aged five and younger, their caregivers and their service providers in Los Angeles County. E.M.T. Associates, Inc. was awarded the contract to conduct the external evaluation. Coming from a utilization-focused approach to evaluation, EMT has provided formative feedback on an ongoing basis in an effort to assist the program in refining their efforts, make mid-course corrections, and generally improve programming. Feedback to the program grantee has been framed in the context of First 5 LA's goals. In addition to measuring accountability at the grantee and goal level, EMT has also focused on the impact county-wide, given the scope of the warm line. EMT has been a contractor since 2002, and has revised the scope of the evaluation at least three times to respond to changes in the evaluation framework at First 5 LA. EMT's learning from the changing evaluation framework and how learning has impacted the evaluation of the warm line will be explored in terms of the overall impact and each of the four required levels of evaluation (County, Goal, Grantee, and the Los Angeles County Children and Families Commission). The nature of evaluation in a changing landscape and the necessity of being able to learn and grow quickly will also be explored.