[OPLINLIST] Measureable outcomes...

[Barb Scott]

 Hello,

We are in the process of applying for a United Way grant to purchase literacy bags (books that stress the early literacy skills) which will include of course the books, a game, pieces of realia and information for parents. These bags would circulate to families involved in our program that we do in collaboration with Help Me Grow, the area daycares, and our general service population. In talking with the United Way representative today, one of the parts of the grant is having measureable outcomes.

If you have a program in place like this, how do you track the success of your program?  How can you tell that you are making a difference in the lives of people who participate?  In other words, are we going to need collaboration with another agency (for example Help Me Grow) who would have a social worker/education professional who could track the progress of a child pre-kindergarten up to the pre-testing for Kindergarten skills?  Or will we have to rely on KRAL (Kindergarten readiness) scores (available through ODE). 

The rest of the grant is pretty much straightforward, but this is a real sticking point for me.  The idea is a noble one....just not sure how we would measure the outcome/success of it to justify them giving us $$$.

TIA!

Barbara Scott, Children's Librarian
Bucyrus Public Library
200 East Mansfield Street
Bucyrus, OH  44820
419-562-7327 x 104
www.childrensprogramming.blogspot.com
Author of 1,000 Fingerplays and Action Rhymes:  A Sourcebook and DVD
www.neal-schuman.com/far
Coming in 2012:  The Holiday Handbook:  700+ Storytime Activities...
www.neal-schuman.com/rtghs
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