| Session Title: Evaluating Educational Innovation in the Midst of Outcomes Measurement |
| Multipaper Session 754 to be held in Panzacola Section H4 on Saturday, Nov 14, 10:55 AM to 11:40 AM |
| Sponsored by the Non-profit and Foundations Evaluation TIG |
| Chair(s): |
| Leanne Kallemeyn, Loyola University Chicago, lkallemeyn@luc.edu |
| Abstract: Similar to government programs, foundations are emphasizing outcomes measurement. With the implementation of state-level assessment systems and the importance of assessment and evaluation in No Child Left Behind (NCLB), educational evaluation and assessment emphasizes monitoring, validating, verifying, tracking, and so on. The expectation is improvement with minimal tolerance of failure. Such approaches to evaluation seem to leave limited room for risk-taking. At the same time, compared to government, foundations have greater autonomy for innovation, experimentation, and creativity. Drawing from the experiences of two external evaluation projects of innovative educational programs funded by small family foundations and implemented in urban settings, the purpose of this session is to consider the lessons learned in negotiating an emphasis on evaluating and supporting innovation of complex programs, while also addressing interests in outcomes measurement. |
| An Evaluation of a Professional Learning Community Among Elementary and High Schools in a Large, Urban School District |
| Leanne Kallemeyn, Loyola University Chicago, lkallemeyn@luc.edu |
| Peter Mich, McDougal Family Foundation, pmich.mff@ameritech.net |
| Donna Ogle, National-Louis University, dogle@nl.edu |
| Katherine McKnight, National-Louis University, katherine.mcknight@nl.edu |
| McDougal Family Foundation (MFF), a small family foundation under the leadership of Peter Mich, in collaboration with Donna Ogle and colleagues at National Louis University (NLU), endeavored to implement a pilot program, the Transitional Adolescent Literacy Leadership (TALL) project, which involved five Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The goals of the three year program were to develop a learning community among elementary schools and a high school serving predominately Latino/a students, in order to support students during the transition to high school through academic literacy, and students' own social and cultural context. The evaluation involved a three-year case study that utilized program theory and multiple methods. Using evaluation reports, interviews from three key stakeholder groups, school principals, foundation, university facilitators and program implementers, and self-reflections of the evaluator, I will discuss the successes and challenges of evaluating the TALL program within the context of relevant policies within CPS. |
| Assessing Preparation and Perseverance: An Evaluation of an Urban Charter School Alumni's Post-Secondary Experiences |
| Ruanda Garth McCullough, Loyola University Chicago, rmccul1@luc.edu |
| Asma Ali, University of Illinois at Chicago, asmamali@yahoo.com |
| Raquel Farmer-Hinton, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, rfarhin@uwm.edu |
| Rolanda West, Loyola University, rwest@luc.edu |
| Another family foundation is sponsoring an external evaluation of an urban charter high school. The purpose of the evaluation is to document and analyze the factors that contribute to the academic persistence and resilience of its graduates. The majority of the students perform an average of 3-4 years below grade level in reading and mathematics. The evaluation of the schools' efforts to prepare their struggling students for college in this high-stakes testing era requires incorporating methods and instruments that acknowledge the risks and creativity involved in this un-chartered educational territory. This multi-method, longitudinal evaluation seeks to determine what factors enhanced the support and development of under-served African American students' to persevere during their postsecondary endeavors. Analysis of survey and focus group data from alumni representing six graduating classes, counselors, teachers, and administrators reveal the complexities of imposing a traditional model of college "success" to evaluate this innovative endeavor. |