This document discusses how to demonstrate the worth of extension programs to stakeholders using evaluation data. It recommends that programs 1) be research-based with clear expected outcomes, 2) accurately measure outcomes using various methods like surveys and tests, and 3) describe results in terms of public value by showing how the program benefits society. Examples are given of how to calculate public value and cost savings for programs in areas like teen pregnancy prevention, dropout prevention, incarceration reduction, nutrition education, and childhood obesity prevention. The document encourages extension agents to continue finding ways to show the value of their work.

1. Our Programs are the Best! – Using
Evaluation Data to Demonstrate
Program Worth to Stakeholders
Michael E. Newman
Mississippi State University Extension Service

2. “Wouldn’t it be nice?”
 Everyone knew how much we mean to
our communities
 Funding is never an issue
 Officials respect our work
 Support is ever-present

3. Let’s try to avoid

4. How do we show the value of our
work?
1. Be worthy of scrutiny
2. Measure accurately and conservatively
3. Describe results in terms of public value

5. 1. Be Worthy
 Storyboard
 You can’t just have a “clean up the creek” project
 Do research-based programs with important
expected outcomes

6. 2. Measure Well
 Observations
 Records
 Responses to Interviews and
Questionnaires
 Standardized Tests
 Physical Measurements

7. CYFERnetSEARCH.org
2. Measure Well

8. 2. Measure Well
 Longitudinal studies
 Remember to be conservative

9. 3. Describe Results
 Be specific – don’t leave room for
misinterpretations
 Show listeners/readers why your program
has “public value”

10. Public Value
 Kalambokidis: “. . . to secure public
funding for a program, Extension staff
must also be able to explain why citizens
and policymakers who are not direct
program participants should value the
program.”

11. Reasons for Public Value
 Imperfect information
 Distribution of resources
 External benefits from consumption
 External benefits from production
 Public good
 Natural monopoly

12. Teen Pregnancy Prevention
 Each pregnancy costs Arkansas $3,375
per year
 First 15 years of motherhood cost =
$50,625
Arkansas

13. Dropout Prevention
 Average negative contribution to society
of a dropout over a lifetime = -$5,200
 Average positive contribution to society
of high school graduates over a lifetime =
$287,000
 Each dropout costs over $292,000
(Sum et al, 2009)

14. Incarceration Savings
Nevada’s Project MAGIC
 Over 3,000 juvenile offenders graduated
 Estimated savings $5.4 million

15. EFNEP
Every dollar spent =
 $10.64 in health benefits
 $2.48 in food expenditure savings

16. Parenting Education
 12 in 1,000 children are abused
 Foster care costs $23.75/child/day
 Incarceration costs $62.43/inmate/day
 Parenting program reaches parents of
300 children in a year; prevents 4.2
from being abused
 2-year foster care savings = $72,818
(DeBord, 2005)

17. 4-H Science
 Change youth
attitudes toward
science
 Influence college
attendance
 Avg. B.S. pay =
$49,900
 Avg. HS grad pay =
$30,800
College Board

18. Family Financial Management
 Record amount of money saved
 Use economic multipliers
http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSCED6.pdf

19. Childhood Obesity
 Adults, too!
 In 2000, the total cost of obesity for
children and adults in the United States
was estimated to be $117 billion ($61
billion in direct medical costs)
http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/

20. Delicious Bookmarks
 Michael E. Newman’s Bookmarks
(Extension Value tag):
 http://delicious.com/stacks/view/IbHj6v

21. Homework
 Continue to look for ways to show value
of extension
 Develop groups around programs
 Learn (example: EvalCoP on eXtension)
 Share!

22. Contact Information
 Michael Newman
 mnewman@ext.msstate.edu
 Twitter: EvalCoP
 http://evalcop.blogspot.com/