THIS IS THE NON_PROFIT ORGANIZATION I CHOSE

Using Evaluation to Effect Positive Social Change

Introduction:

Deeply ingrained disparities still exist in the American public education system, disproportionately affecting pupils of color and those from low-income families. (Public Policy Associates, 2020). Outdated accountability frameworks and standardized tests that ignore the living reality of marginalized populations are responsible for these structural inequities. (Preskill & Torres, 1999). For many years, educational evaluation has been a bureaucratic process that frequently ignores the opinions of people who will be most impacted by the results. We must rethink the definition, metrics, and policy-making processes for educational achievement if we are to accomplish significant and long-lasting change. A revolutionary strategy that prioritizes fairness, inclusivity, and community empowerment is offered by participatory evaluation. This essay examines the value of participatory evaluation as a tool for social change and describes how Reclaiming Accountability uses it to promote more equitable and successful learning outcomes.

Organizational Mission and Relevance to Social Change:

A nonprofit group called Reclaiming Accountability is dedicated to democratizing the assessment process in order to rebuild public institutions' credibility. (W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 2004) . Our purpose is based on the conviction that inclusive and equitable conversation with communities, rather than top-down dictates, is the key to real responsibility. (Preskill & Torres, 1999). To jointly develop assessment frameworks that represent the values, requirements, and goals of regional stakeholders, we collaborate with school districts, teachers, students, and families. By aggressively contesting institutional power relations and elevating historically underrepresented voices in decision-making processes, our strategy is consistent with social justice ideals. In the context of public education, social change entails more than raising graduation rates or test scores. It entails tearing down the systems that perpetuate inequality and putting in place more adaptable, equitable, and long-lasting structures. Our goal is to change the accountability paradigm from compliance to group empowerment and learning through participatory evaluation. (Cousins & Whitmore, 1998).

What Is Participatory Evaluation?

Stakeholders are actively involved in every stage of the assessment process, including design, data collecting, analysis, and results dissemination, according to the participatory evaluation methodology. Participatory evaluation acknowledges community people as co-evaluators and knowledge creators, in contrast to standard evaluations that give priority to the opinions of outside specialists. This method works especially well in complicated and varied learning situations when contextual subtleties are missed by conventional measurements. involve themselves in a magnificent way. Cousins and Whitmore (1998) assert that participatory assessment increases local capability, improves the findings' applicability and relevance, and cultivates stakeholder ownership. Additionally, it promotes ongoing feedback loops, which allow for real-time program and policy modifications. Because it is reflective and iterative by nature, participatory assessment is an effective instrument for promoting systemic change.

Why Participatory Evaluation Matter:

Conventional assessment techniques frequently perpetuate current power structures and fall short of recognizing the complex nature of academic achievement. Standardized examinations, for instance, may gauge academic achievement but ignore important elements like community trust, cultural relevance, and student participation. (Public Policy Associates, 2020). To overcome these constraints, participatory evaluation does the following:

1. Improving Relevance: Local values and priorities are more likely to be reflected in

evaluations that were co-designed with communities.

2. Encouraging Accountability: Stakeholders are more committed to attaining and maintaining results when they are involved in defining and assessing success.

3. Empowering Communities: Participatory evaluation gives marginalized populations a sense of agency and increases local capability.

4. Enhancing Program Design: Timely course corrections and more successful interventions are made possible by ongoing feedback.

An excellent illustration is the "Equity in Evaluation" program of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Community-driven evaluation procedures in early childhood education programs in multiple states resulted in better results, higher stakeholder satisfaction, and more faith in government agencies (Elam & Walker, 2021). These results highlight how participatory evaluation can have a revolutionary effect.

Application of Participatory Evaluation by Reclaiming Accountability:

The following stages are part of the organized but adaptable participatory evaluation process that our organization uses:

1. Participation in the Community and Needs Analysis: We start by holding focus groups, town halls, and listening sessions to learn about the issues and goals of the community. This stage guarantees that the assessment is based on lived experience and the local context.

2. Co-creation of Frameworks for Evaluation: Stakeholders work together to create evaluation schedules, data gathering instruments, and performance indicators. Both quantitative results (like attendance rates and standardized test scores) and qualitative indicators (like student voice and cultural inclusion) can be included in the metrics.

3. Data Collection and Reflection: Data is gathered cooperatively through surveys, interviews, classroom observations, and participatory mapping. Stakeholders can assess results, spot trends, and provide solutions during regular reflection sessions.

4. Implementation and Feedback Loops: Program modifications and policy suggestions are informed by the findings. To sustain stakeholder engagement and improve strategy, feedback is always requested.

5. Reporting and Distribution: Policy papers, graphic reports, and community forums are used to disseminate the results. Accessibility and transparency are prioritized in order to make sure that the results are clear and useful to all parties involved.

Evaluation Methodology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches:

We employ a mixed-methods approach that blends the depth of qualitative insights with the precision of quantitative data. Our approach consists of:

1. Quantitative Tools Include: Graduation rates, attendance records, academic achievement, and other standardized indicators that are tracked over time. To find inequalities, data is broken down by demographic variables such as income and race.

2. Quantitative Tools: To record impressions, feelings and stories, focus groups, student notebooks and interview transcripts are thematically recorded.

3. Participatory Tools: Methods to democratize data collecting and analysis, including community mapping, storytelling circles, and photovoice.

This method enables us to record both quantifiable results and the more ethereal consequences of educational interventions, including changes in student self-efficacy or school climate.

Challenges and Solutions:

Participatory evaluation is not always easy to implement. Typical obstacles consist of:

1. Institutional Resistance: Some leaders in education are hesitant to share decision-making or give up control. We do this by advocating, enhancing capacity, and showcasing the concrete advantages of participatory methods.

2.Resource Restrictions: Participatory assessment necessitates time, training, and money investment. We aim to establish sustainable collaborations and obtain funding that promotes community involvement.

3.Data Complexity: Qualitative data analysis calls for specific knowledge and can take a lot of time. To expedite analysis, we deploy user-friendly technologies and make training investments.

The advantages of participatory evaluation greatly exceed the disadvantages, notwithstanding these difficulties. We build more responsive, resilient, and egalitarian systems by encouraging accountability and inclusion.

Conclusion and Call to Action:

A paradigm shift in our understanding and implementation of accountability in public education is represented by participatory evaluation. By elevating the voices of people who have traditionally been marginalized in decision-making processes, it challenges the status quo. We have personally witnessed how community-led evaluation can result in stronger institutions, more successful programs, and empowered communities through our work at Reclaiming Accountability. Funders, legislators, and leaders in education are urged to make participatory evaluation a common practice. In addition to producing better statistics, this strategy creates more inclusive public education in the future, stronger communities, and more equitable institutions. (Elam & Walker, 2021) . By funding participatory evaluation, we are investing in our communities' ability to create and realize their own success goals. We look forward to working with stakeholders who are dedicated to justice, equity, and revolutionary change, and we welcome inquiries and cooperation.

References

Cousins, J.B., & Whitmore, E. (1998), Framing participatory evaluation. New Directions for Evaluations, 1998(80), 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1002/ev.1114

W.K. Kellogg Foundation. (2004). Using logic models to bring together planning, evaluation and action; Logic model development guide. Retrieved from https://www.wkkf.org/resource- directory/resources/2004/01/logic-model-development-guide

Elam, K., & Walker, D. (2021). Equity in evaluation: Lessons from community-based initiatives.

Evaluation and Program Planning, 84, 102887.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2021.102887

Herman, L. (n.d.). White papers and briefing books. Walden University. Retrieved from

https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-27329357

Public Policy Associates. (2020). Equity-focused evaluation: A guide for practitioners. Retrieved

from https://publicpolicy.com/resources/publications/

Preskill, H., & Torres, R. T. (1999). Evaluative inquiry for learning in organizations. SAGE

WEEK 8 Assignment

In Week 1, you were introduced to the Literature Synthesis and Levels of Evidence Table that is due this week. In the subsequent weeks you developed a Levels of Evidence table containing 15 research and performance improvement articles to support the social change goal or outcome that is the basis for your performance improvement strategy for the nonprofit or public/government organization you chose in Week 1. By way of reminder, the difference between a peer-reviewed research article and a performance improvement article is the latter may be from a credible source and have value yet not be peer reviewed.

Then, you examined the literature information on the table and continuously searched for and refined themes you noted across the literature to support the use of the performance metrics, analysis, and intervention to develop and sustain positive outcomes for the organization.

Importantly, the focus of the Levels of Evidence table articles is not to have a certain number of articles per level represented, but instead to support and explain the rationale for the social change goal or outcome that is the basis for your performance improvement strategy for the nonprofit or public/government organization. Also, when completing the table, you are not writing about each study or a particular organization and what it did but instead about the themes you are finding. Look for similar words and/or phrases in the articles that support the social change goal or outcome that is the basis for your performance improvement strategy for the nonprofit or public/government organization.

• Identify literature (i.e., peer-reviewed research and performance improvement articles) to support the social change goal or outcome that will be the basis for your performance improvement strategy for the nonprofit or public/government organization you chose in Week 1. Note: You will place the article information in a Levels of Evidence table provided in the Learning Resources.
• Consider the themes of the literature to support the use of the performance metrics, analysis, and intervention to develop and sustain positive outcomes for the organization.
• Review the Walden Templates: General Templates webpage in this week's Learning Resources. Go to the "Graduate Courses" section and use the "APA Course Paper Template (APA 7)" for this Assignment.

This Synthesis Assignment should be in support of the organization you have discussed in Assignment 1 and Assignment 2 and should include at least 15 peer-reviewed research articles or performance improvement articles.

• Provide a Levels of Evidence table using 15 research and performance improvement articles. Place the Levels of Evidence table as an appendix to the Literature Synthesis APA paper.
• Do a Literature Synthesis paper that contains a thematic overview of the literature to support the use of the performance metrics, analysis, and intervention to develop and sustain positive outcomes for the organization.

Papers: Use APA 7 style guidelines for your title page, introduction, level headings, related summaries, and conclusion.

Be sure to support your Assignment with specific references to the Learning Resources and peer-reviewed sources from the Walden Library and/or the internet. Use proper citations, including those in the Learning Resources.