The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, in collaboration with the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP), has come up with real-time evaluation (RTE) for its preschool subprogram. The evaluation focuses on easing of policy changes surrounding California preschool programs.

Preschool evaluation had been neglected as late as 2003, and this foundation through its evaluation and consequent findings has eased legislation and grantmaking/policy surrounding California Preschool programs. Program has shown great strength in passing of legislation such as the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 and the curbing of budget cuts.

The evaluation findings can be found below:

https://www.packard.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2008-2013-Preschool-Evaluation-Findings.pdf

The program has shown great strength in the following arenas:

1. Advanced data collection tools

2. Transparency amongst stakeholders (this alleviates the tension between evaluators and stakeholders as Dr Greene from UIUC has pointed out)

3. Critical indicators that are kept updated

4. Evaluation method follows a dynamic logic model that evolves with the direction of the program it is evaluating.

The strong evaluation program has enabled investments in leadership, emphasized legislative engagement, and monetary investments. This has ultimately resulted in more preschools and extra preparatory classes for pre-kindergarteners as per the Transitional Kindergarten (for 3 and 4 year-olds) program.

Some of the weaknesses of the evaluation program are that it cannot guarantee political support for preschools and improvement in quality remains rather elusive. Policymakers need a better understanding of what high quality Early childhood Education looks like and the correct metrics need to be established in order to do that.

Sources:

https://www.packard.org/grants-and-investments/for-our-current-grantees/evaluation-and-learning/preschool-rte/