Program Evaluation
Since its inception, SERVE Center has conducted numerous evaluative studies on educational initiatives important to the region. This work represents a wide-range of areas, including reading, technology, early childhood, mathematics and science, total quality management, school to work, and site-based management. SERVE Center staff have a history of providing consultative assistance to states across all program areas. As a result of this wide-ranging experience, SERVE Center staff have developed many different types of data collection instruments and evaluation designs. These instruments have included attitudinal surveys, needs assessments, and focus group and nominal group protocols. Evaluation designs have included strong emphases on qualitative methodologies, such as case studies, and quantitative methodologies, such as quasi-experimental and longitudinal designs.
The evaluation staff of SERVE Center have established a solid reputation for providing evaluation services and technical assistance to school districts, state education agencies, and community organizations. Evaluation staff support evaluation activities of the major grants and contracts for SERVE Center and provide contracted evaluation services to state and local education agencies throughout the region. These evaluators have a variety of educational backgrounds and evaluation/research expertise which complement and enhance the evaluation and research activities of the organization.
The Program Evaluation Standards, Second Edition (The Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, 1994) and the
Guiding Principles for Evaluators (American Evaluation Association, 1995) guide the evaluation work at SERVE Center. The evaluation staff promote utilization-focused evaluation and are skilled in a variety of evaluation methods.
Three of our current evaluations in North Carolina are:
GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) North CarolinaIn 2009 the SERVE Center at UNCG was awarded a contract with University of North Carolina General Administration to undertake a high quality external evaluation of GEAR UP North Carolina. GEAR UP, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, is a national initiative with the mission to significantly increase the number of students prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Funded by the US Department of Education, GEAR UP NC is working with students and their families in 20 of 100 NC counties. GEAR UP NC offers activities across North Carolina to students in grades 7-12 and to their families, educators, counselors, and community leaders to prepare students to enter and succeed in college.
Mission Possible - Guilford County (NC) Schools
The goal of this 5-year evaluation is to: 1) determine the extent to which the most highly qualified teachers and administrators are being recruited, 2) determine the extent to which the Mission Possible training and incentives impacted teacher and student outcomes at Guilford County’s Mission Possible Schools, 3) determine the extent to which the Mission Possible teachers and administrators were trained as proposed, and 4) determine the extent to which the Mission Possible training and incentives impacted teacher and student outcomes. Propensity score matching was used to identify comparison schools within North Carolina. Other data include a climate survey and publicly available state data.
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Rigorous Magnet EvaluationThe purpose of the rigorous evaluation will be to measure the effect that magnet schools have on students and subgroups of students and identify mediating factors. The external evaluation is intended to provide staff at WSFCS with useful information for formative project improvement as well as overall program outcomes. The evaluation design will be a multi-site analysis based on (a) surveys with students and staff, (b) quantitative analysis of achievement data, and (c) focus groups with each magnet school.