Is It Working? Self Help Guide for Evaluating Vocational and Adult Education Programs: September 1995

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n


V. Program Participants

This chapter concerns that part of the evaluation related to the number and characteristics of the program's students or trainees. These data will be collected during recruitment periods or upon entry to the program. Most student data will be descriptive in nature, such as age, ethnicity, and prior education or occupational training. Some data, however, will be baseline measures of variables related to program objectives. These data will be compared to data collected at completion of the program to determine effects. Examples of these data are literacy levels, vocational skills, employment status, and job wages.

The specific student data to be collected should be determined by the project director and evaluator, and depends on the issues which they choose to address. From this, a set of evaluation questions may be developed by the evaluator which focus on these issues. This then leads to specification of variables, and the development of the data collection plans and instruments.

Evaluation questions concerning students or trainees are shown in Exhibit 3. along with examples of the relevant variables and data sources. A particular local program may wish to add, modify, or delete questions from this listing.

A program intake form can generally be used to supply most, if not all, of the information needs concerning student characteristics. The evaluator should examine existing form(s) used by the program to determine whether all data needs are satisfied. If not, these forms should be modified so that the additional required information is collected.

A sample intake form is shown in Appendix Al. Additions. deletions, and modifications to the form may be made as desirable.

Each entering student may be asked to complete a Student Intake Form during the recruitment or intake process, or during the first class session. Alternatively, staff members may interview entering students and record the data on the Intake Form themselves during the intake interview. The evaluator or a designated staff member will then be responsible for summarizing the data across students.

Exhibit 3

Program Participants: Examples of Evaluation
Questions, Variables and Data Sources


 Evaluation Questions Variables Possible Data Sources
1. How many individuals are enrolled? Number of individuals enrolled Program Records
2. What are the demographic characteristics of the participants? Age, Sex, Racial/Ethnic Group, Years of Formal Schooling, Achievement of High School Diploma or GED Certificate, Family Status, Number of Dependents. Student Intake Form
3. What is the level of English language proficiency of participants before they enter the program? (See Appendix B.) Scores on measures of English Language Proficiency English Language Proficiency Test Given to Intake
4. What is the level of native language proficiency of limited English proficient (LEP) students before they enter the program? Scores on measures of Native Language Proficiency Native Language Proficiency Test Given To LEP Students At Intake
5. What are students' reasons for enrolling in the program? Students' goals/ objectives Student Intake Form
6. What are the vocational skills of participants at program entry? Vocational Skills Student Intake Form, or Pretest of Vocational Skills
7. How much previous vocational training do participants have at program entry? Years of Vocational Training, Areas of Vocational Training Student Intake Form
8. What are the job interests and goals of participants at program entry? Job Interests; Job Goals Student Intake Form
9. What are the employment status and wages of participants at program entry? Employment Status; Public Assistance and Unemployment Benefits Received; Hourly Wages Prior to Program Entry. Student Intake Form

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IV. Program Environment [Index] VI. Program Implementation