Research & Evaluation Services

Evaluation Consultation

The Education Alliance has a broad array of tools and resources to facilitate educational decision making, planning, assessment and development efforts. In addition to external program and rigorous evaluations, these resources are applied through consultation activities involving direct services to schools, districts and state education agencies, participatory evaluation support and development, and collaboration on grant writing and evaluation conceptualization and design.

Our work with districts and state education agencies to assess organizational structures and program alignment, to assist and facilitate problem solving processes, and support internal evaluation and data use capabilities draw on the knowledge and skills honed and accumulated through our history of applied research and evaluation and research-based technical assistance. The Alliance offers a wide range of direct services such as strategic mapping, organizational assessment, problem solving processes and program audit services to support and build local capacity for improving teaching and learning.

Alliance staff assist in building internal capacity for evaluation or participate as partners in designing and implementing strategies for self-assessment and reflection. Whether working with community based organizations, school districts or professional organizations, the intent of these activities is to facilitate development processes and support that will help constituents identify issues, design and implement evaluation activities, and use results to take action.

Deciding to pursue an evaluation and negotiating evaluation activities also requires careful consideration and clarification of need, timing, effort and resources. Timing of an evaluation and determination of internal capabilities to support and follow through on results can inform decisions to commit or compete for the resources required to field evaluation and/or related program or intervention initiatives. Alliance evaluators consult with educators to clarify the need and parameters of evaluation — what you want to know, what you already know, and how you can approach evaluation are just part of this consideration.