Research and Evaluation Services

With over twenty-five research and evaluation projects funded annually through federal, state and local agencies, Alliance staff bring skills and experience to evaluation, applied research and development services that aim both to improve programs and contribute knowledge to the development of successful schooling. In our evaluation work we employ multiple methods—both quantitative and qualitative—to provide the information educators, policymakers, and funders need to strengthen programs and improve teaching and learning. In all of our evaluation activities, we choose the tools that fit the intended scope, purposes and audiences for the evaluation, and work collaboratively with clients to target the questions, approach and scale of the evaluation or to establish the most appropriate design and instrumentation.

External program evaluation is the cornerstone of our work. Contracted program evaluation studies range from large-scale national evaluations to locally focused evaluations. Our work includes longitudinal studies, outcome and implementation studies, and designs measuring participant engagement.

In addition, we conduct rigorous evaluations capable of measuring impact without compromising the integrity of programs and interventions. Methods include experimental designs using randomized control trials to examine causal relationships and quasi-experimental designs employing well-specified program and comparison groups or interrupted time series to understand program effects. R&E staff also work with a wide range of clients at all levels of the education community to provide consultation, design and analysis services.

Consultation services include exploring evaluation options during the grant proposal development process; helping design self evaluation tools and strategies so programs can track their own progress; and determining what types and levels of evaluation are most suited to program needs.

Topics of recent evaluations include: