National Evaluator

The evaluation was conducted from fall 1996 through spring 1999. The overall evaluation design called for data to be collected before program participation (pretest), at the end of the program cycle (posttest), and for an identified period after the program cycle (14 months in Atlanta, 19 months in Portland, and 22 months in San Antonio).2 The national evaluator provided training and detailed data collection manuals to the local staff on how to use each of these data collection instruments. The national evaluator also assisted the local sites in their selection of procedures for choosing appropriate comparison groups and obtaining data from and about them.