Federal policy and program evaluation and research: The America reads example

Abstract

Abstract The central theme of this paper is that national intervention endeavors should contain evaluation requirements, but these requirements should be sufficiently flexible to allow a range of rigorous evaluation designs. Knowledge‐gathering components should be well funded complements to federally proposed interventions. We work around this theme using the recent America Reads Challenge and research and evaluation efforts conducted independently at three university sites to illustrate the possibilities and pitfalls in engaging in such endeavors. We point to an envisionment of much needed policy change, specifying potential guidelines that would help shape educational program evaluations.