PA 874, Session 8

1
PA 874, Session 8

• Policy Evaluation

2
Overview

• Functions of Evaluation
• Legal Requirements and Problems
• Evaluation Methods/ Problems Again
• Technical Issues/Problems Again
• Getting Evaluations Used
• Notes on Cost-Benefit Analysis

3
Functions of Evaluation

• It Is All In the Perspective
• Evaluators Themselves
• Objective? The Truth? Reputation?
• Politicians/Agencies
• What Works? Accountability?
• Legitimating Favored Policies
• Exposure
• Ammunition
• The Public
• Do they know? Care?
• Role of the Media

4
Legal Requirements Problems

• Increasing Mandates
• Powers and Specifications
• The Importance of
• Statutes
• Administrative Rules
• Potential Problems

5
Evaluation Methods/Problems

• Planning
• Scope of the Evaluation
• Goals
• Indicators and Measurement
• Analysis
• Reporting

6
Technical Issues/Problems

• Causality Huge Issue/Problem
• Requires a Policy Theory
• E.G. Welfare Reform
• E.G. How Kids Read
• Treatment Effect
• Selection Bias
• Randomization Problems
• Time

7
Getting Evaluations Used

• Political Resistance
• Same Proposals On Dissemination as Policy Analysis

8
Cost-Benefit AnalysisNotes

• Full Course Out There
• Equity As A Problem?
• Cost-Benefit as a Tool!

9
Ethical Issues

• Human Subjects Issues Institutional Review
  Boards
• Permissions and Problems
• Confidentiality
• Experimenting on People