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Session Title: Towards an Understanding of the Role of the Local Evaluator in Federally Funded Demonstration Projects: The Perspectives of Federal Policymakers, Community-based Organizations, and Evaluators
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Multipaper Session 317 to be held in CROCKETT D on Thursday, Nov 11, 1:40 PM to 3:10 PM
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Sponsored by the Government Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Soundaram Ramaswami,
Kean University, sramaswa@kean.edu
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The Demonstration Project and Expectations for Evaluation: The Policymaker’s Perspective
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| Presenter(s):
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| Alicia Richmond-Scott, United States Department of Health and Human Services, alicia.richmond@hhs.gov
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| Abstract:
The Federal government’s efforts to improve performance assessment and public accountability have led to an increased emphasis on the collection of high-quality data and rigorous evaluation. The Adolescent Family Life (AFL) program has supported individual local evaluations for each funded demonstration project. Legislation requires each project to conduct a program evaluation with the goal of developing evidence-based programming and incorporating best practices in adolescent pregnancy prevention efforts, thus furthering the important goal of accountability. The AFL program has taken bold steps to create more systematic changes to maximize evaluation at the local level. This paper will explore the goals and objectives of this increased focus on evaluation from the perspective of those responsible for monitoring adherence to these policies. Further, we will discuss the use of core questions and standard instruments; demands for rigor; improved performance measures; cross-site evaluations; and the importance of local evaluation data to the policymaking process.
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