Measuring Fidelity of Implementation: An Example From the Arts Achieve Project

• In Event: 31.092 - Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: 31.092-1 - Methodological Approaches to Program Evaluation in the Schools

Abstract

Measuring fidelity of implementation is often excluded from program evaluation designs. Rather the effectiveness of a program or an intervention is measured based on whether it results in positive outcomes for its participants (Century, et al., 2012; Nelson, et al. 2012). Focusing solely on the impacts of a program or intervention simply tells us if a program works without providing information on why, how, and under what conditions. Measuring a program’s fidelity of implementation (FOI) establishes a systematic assessment of how the intervention was implemented in comparison to how it was designed. This presentation will discuss the process used for measuring FOI, presents the FOI results from the Arts Achieve i3 project, and discusses lessons learned.

Authors

• Tara Mastrorilli, City University of New York

• Susanne DeFalco Harnett, Metis Associates, Inc.