Overarching Components
Track Basic Participation and Demographic Data
For general understanding of the program’s effectiveness and impact, it will be important to track both basic participation data as well as the demographic data of the participants. You will need to establish systems for collecting and tracking this data prior to program implementation. Securing the informed consent of each participant to be part of an evaluation is a recommended part of the process.
Demographic data to collect might include:
- Age
- Gender
- Race/Ethnicity
- Education
- Recent work history
- Native language
- Disability
- Education and career goals
- Tested basic skill levels at program start (Henle et al, 2005)
Data to collect on participation might include:
- Start date
- End date
- Completion information (did they complete the program? Did they earn a degree or certificate?)
- Tested skills at completion
- Credentials or certifications earned
- Employment/job placement status after program completion (where relevant) (adapted from Henle et al, 2005)
- Job retention at 30, 60, 90 days post-placement
- Wage change