Including Participant Stories in School Evaluations: Looking Beyond the Numbers

• In Event: Roundtable Session 57
  In Roundtable Session: Methodological Issues and Approaches to Program Evaluation in Schools

Abstract

Evaluations of school reform initiatives often use performance measures and quantitative data to show effectiveness of the reform. As the direct contribution of most reform is largely organizational, actual practices in the schools are not documented or well examined. This paper argues that a complementary qualitative approach is necessary as part of the evaluation process, with the direct participation of teachers, students and families, and other school stakeholders. The pilot study of a school involved in whole school transformation efforts provides the stage for analyzing the feasibility of such a process, and the initial stories gathered from the participants will be shared.

Author

• Iris Yu, The University of Kansas