With contributions by Balint Peto

Welcome back to our blog series on program evaluation. If you haven’t already, check out last week’s post on surveys. In this installment, we will examine another data collection method: logic models.

A logic model depicts how a program or policy solves an identified problem under specified conditions. (You can learn more about how to construct a logic model in one of our past posts here.) In this post, we focus on why and when to consider using logic models, or a subset, theory of change models.

Welcome back to our blog series on program evaluation. If you haven’t already, check out last week’s post on semi-structured interviews. In this installment, we will be looking at surveys.

Welcome back to our blog series on program evaluation. If you haven’t already, check out last week’s post on focus groups. In this installment, we will be looking at semi-structured interviews.

Welcome back to our blog series on program evaluation. If you haven’t already, check out last week’s post on literature reviews and environmental scans, the first step we take in conducting program evaluations. In this installment, we will be looking at focus groups.

Welcome to the second part of our blog series on program evaluation. If you have not already, check out last week’s post introducing the series and providing a description of what program evaluation is. In this installment, we will look at literature reviews and environmental scans.

With contributions by Balint Peto

Welcome to our blog series on the alchemy of program evaluation. Program evaluation is the process of collecting and analyzing data to answer questions about how well and how effectively programs are working. Through mixed methods, we utilize both quantitative and qualitative data to answer such research questions as: How do you know if your program (or program modification) is achieving its mission? If program outcomes aren’t meeting expected goals, what isn’t working? What can be improved to increase program efficacy?

This post discusses:

• the current underutilization of U.S. apprenticeship programs;
• renewed support for expanding apprenticeship programs in response to a changing work landscape; and
• the need for policy makers and relevant stakeholders to recognize program components that can be leveraged to ensure the future is powered by people.

Summit's Dr. Shane Thompson writes about the importance of administrative data in impact evaluations in his three-part blog series. In his first blog, below, he writes about transforming summary statistics into actionable evidence. Those interested in reading more about program evaluation can download Summit's latest white paper here.

Today, Summit released a new white paper on estimation designs used in program evaluation.

On May 18, 2016, the White House and Department of Labor (DOL) released a final rule updating overtime pay regulations, raising the standard salary level for exempt workers from $455 weekly to $913. Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay; exempt employees are not. Effective December 1, 2016, workers earning less than $913 per week will not be eligible for exempt status, extending overtime pay protection to 4.2 million currently exempt workers. (DOL Fact Sheet: https://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime/final2016/overtime-factsheet.htm.)