These assumptions should drive program activities and an evaluation will test the accuracy of the assumptions. If results do not improve, either the assumptions were wrong or an anticipated event did not take place. Select Indicators of Success Indicators of success should be established for all aspects of a program. Programs will want to assess whether they are achieving the goals they have set for meeting their students' needs by examining student performance, drug use and violence reduction, parental satisfaction, and impact on the community. Programmatic and management issues will need to be assessed by an appropriate set of indicators measuring the smoothness of operation, the flow of information, the system of accountability, and whether services are provided at the level of quality intended.
Effective evaluations use several types of information to measure results.
It is essential to establish short-term indicators of success to introduce the practice of continuous improvement in a program. Information on rates of attendance, disruptive incidents, or teacher evaluations may provide a short-term means of assessing a program's progress towards its goals. Short-term indicators of program processes could include surveys of all levels of staff about their understanding of their responsibilities and their satisfaction with the system of accountability. The activities coincide with students' classroom curricula, emphasizing hands-on participation in science and math. Recognizing the importance of evaluating the project, Northwestern University is developing a longitudinal study of the Chicago after-school and summer programs that will monitor student grades, academic progress, dropout rates, and enrollment in postsecondary education.