Utilization-focused evaluation of the program evaluation process of a Missouri school district

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide a utilization-focused evaluation (Patton, 1997) of a Missouri school district program evaluation process. The problem addressed by this study was that The school district had not yet determined how to implement program evaluations that are routinely capable of maximizing the use of stakeholder time, overcoming geographic constraints, and providing anonymity where necessary while still promoting organizational knowledge creation (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995). The School District needed a program evaluation model capable of balancing organizational knowledge creation with cost effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance. The most significant findings of the UFE were that a) The school district should implement clearly articulated processes, tools, and procedures, such as the type created as a result of this study, and b) The school district should also intentionally incorporate process-use within future evaluation practice as a method to deliberately provide for evaluation-capacity building and knowledge creation within the organization.