Collaborative Evaluation Led by Local Educators: A Practical, Print- and Web-Based Guide

By: Ann Brackett

With Nancy Hurley

This guide provides a framework and process for local educators to use for continuous data gathering, sharing of findings, and planning for improvement. Designed especially for educators with limited background in evaluation, it leads through the stages of the evaluation process with guiding questions, evaluation task checklists, and corresponding Web-based resources.

Working in conjunction with the Collaborative Evaluation Web-based Guide, this print-guide engages teams of educators in a dynamic inquiry process focused on assessing the effectiveness of local programs and initiatives. It begins with the baseline stage of Gathering Together and Planning, and continues on through Preparing to Collect Data, Collecting Our Data, Making Sense of Our Findings, and Making Improvements. The Web-based guide features a detailed evaluation planning template and practical, step-by-step "how-to's" for evaluation tasks ranging from selection of data-gathering strategies to development of questionnaires and facilitation of community discussions of findings.