EVALUATION MEASURES
The Arts Education Partnership argues, students do a better job at mastering reading, writing and math than those who focus solely on academics. In 2011, C.A.E. received test results from the Garfield Academy administration for 70 students Grades 5 - 8 who actively participated in C.A.E. beginning September 2010 to January 2011. The Scantron® Performance Test. Data results showed an overall combined average increase of 34% in Science, Reading, and Math – supporting the findings from the 2002 Arts Education Partnership Study: Arts education has academic effect.
Evaluation of programming is undertaken primarily through self-evaluation surveys, interviews, forms, and forms over time, against a pre-determined set of criteria (Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by adopting the following methodology:
PARTICIPATION DATA: including qualitative indicators such as the perceived success of the artistic practice and audience response, student profile, volunteering as well as quantitative such as participant and audience numbers
MARKETING DATA: including outreach strategies to target markets
IMPACT DATA: including involvement, outcomes (e.g. artistic practice, profile, school climate), perception of success
FINANCE & RESOURCES DATA: including funding, budgeting, resource allocation and controls
LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT: including staff, volunteers, artists, partners and board member assessments. Strategic planning, training's, rapport with student & family, and clarity/success of program/project objectives
The criteria derived from workshop objectives involves the following:
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Translating those objectives into measures of success and establishing a small number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and/or Impact Measures around each of the objectives
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Testing the assumptions underlying the workshop and its anticipated impacts
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Creating a base-line where appropriate (e.g. activity levels, current/target audiences, partnerships, financial parameters, educational attainments, satisfaction surveys) for the KPIs
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Setting up light-touch tracking mechanisms for the workshop (e.g. user surveys)
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Ensuring that all projects are adequately documented through a range of media
Students that graduate from the program are assessed on a semi-annual basis. Survey instruments are employed upon students’ exit to determine their level of satisfaction with services, as well as to generate suggestions for improvement.