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“Most people in school settings really care about what they’re doing. They’re not in it for the money; they’re working for the satisfaction of helping people,” Anderson noted. “Therefore, when they’re running a prevention program, they want to do it the best way that they can to add value to people’s lives.”

“The word ‘value’ is at the very center of the word ‘evaluation,’” he continued. “That’s really what we’re talking about. A good evaluation tool lets you know if your program works—if it has real value to the community.”

“Evaluation is not something to be tacked on at the end of a program simply because it is required, but should be an integral part of the program from the very beginning,” Anderson explained. “It is actually a strategic planning tool that helps organize your thinking, and thus your program.”

According to Anderson, a solid evaluation can be useful in many ways. It can help in:

• Planning. An evaluation can help you clarify what you want to accomplish;
• Assessing accomplishments. An evaluation can help you know whether you have achieved your desired outcomes;
• Keeping on track. An evaluation can help you know when you have hit certain milestones along the way;
• Enhancing and refining. An evaluation can help point to what needs to be done to improve your project;
• Making budget decisions. An evaluation can help you see where resources should be allocated or reallocated;
• Advancing knowledge. An evaluation can help you test theories and share your insights with others;
• Increasing the public trust. An evaluation can help you maintain accountability.

With all of these good reasons for conducting an evaluation, why do so many people avoid it? Anderson explained that there are many myths associated with evaluation.

“Some people think that evaluation is too complicated or too expensive—that funds can be better spent elsewhere. It’s true that evaluation can be costly, but it doesn’t have to be. And it’s money well spent, as early evaluations can keep one from investing in a non-successful program or process.”

“Another common reason that people avoid conducting a program evaluation is because they fear that an evaluation will open up new information or point to problems that they will then need to address. That may be true, but it’s better to have that information than to go forward without it. An evaluation will give you insights into what aspects of your project may be more or less helpful. New information can be used to develop revised delivery approaches for future projects.”

Anderson emphasized that it is important for program directors to share the results of their evaluation with their colleagues in the prevention field. “You’ve got to share what you learn when you learn it. It’s as important for your colleagues to hear what didn’t go well as what did go well. Even when you don’t get the results you anticipate, you’ve learned something important for the field.”

Finally, Anderson noted that a solid evaluation can actually bring in more dollars to support a program. “In this day of limited time and limited dollars, funders need to focus their spending on what works. When you can show evidence of your program’s effectiveness, they’re more likely to support your efforts.”