Achieving Full Potential through Evaluation Policy that Disrupts Status Quo
(Room S320A)
28 Nov 18
9:30 AM
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10:00 AM
Program and training evaluation is not only a widely acknowledged best practice, it is a mandate for federal agencies. However, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently found that only 30% of the 27 agencies surveyed consistently implement a formal process for evaluating the impact of training on the agency’s goals and mission, and most do not gather the information they need to appropriately manage their training programs. Without proper evaluation, program and training investments risk failure, waste, or loss of funding. Unfortunately, evaluation is often overshadowed by a focus on training acquisition, production, and execution. Additionally, evaluation needs are often not included in budget calculations. Evaluation resources are often scattered across agencies, and relatively few personnel have the expertise required to successfully shepherd their organization through the process of developing and maintaining an effective evaluation system.
Program and training evaluation comprises far more than the smile sheets that have come to dominate perceptions about the science. It involves a comprehensive, systematic approach to making defensible decisions based on credible information about programs, their processes, their outcomes, and the systems in which they exist. This paper examines guidance provided by federal regulations, GAO, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Defense, the American Evaluation Association, and academic and industry publications to present an organized, condensed set of 12 program and training evaluation standards for federal agencies. This paper fills the need in literature and practice for a repository of recommendations from across agencies and industries. The standards will help organizations develop or evolve program and training evaluation practices that align with expectations for federal agencies. The paper concludes with recommendations for incorporating evaluation-supporting requirements into federal a