APPENDIX B: EVALUATION METHODS49

Center participation begins after the third, intensity-level year and continues as long as the center remains in the program

The CFSRP evaluation consists of both a process and outcome evaluation. The process evaluation component provides a clearer picture of how the CFSRP was being implemented in practice and determines to what extent the program was operating as designed in the theory of change. Findings from process evaluation can inform program improvement and help explain why a program achieved or failed to achieve the intended outcomes. The CFSRP process evaluation included a specific focus on professional development participation, stipend allocation, and mentor activities.

The outcome evaluation included a focus on child outcomes (developmental, academic, and social-emotional) and center outcomes (classroom environment and management, Center leadership and management). The CFSRP outcome evaluation also includes a comparative analysis of outcomes for CFSRP children and demographically similar groups of non-CFSRP children enrolled in Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD). This part of the evaluation uses assessments already in place in to compare the performance of the CFSRP children and the comparison groups when they enter prekindergarten and at the end of their kindergarten through third grade years.

The EEAP evaluation is a process evaluation—one that is preliminary and descriptive. It examines characteristics, motivations, and barriers/supports for success of apprentices in the initial cohort, as well as a summary of apprentice progress to completion. Its focus is on identifying participant characteristics and needs in order to more completely formulate and scale the program for future cohorts.

49 Assessment tools and data analysis procedures are described in Appendix C and D.