Evaluation

The Center of Youth Issues - Nashville, Inc. maintains a strong reputation with its funders and peer organizations for its commitment to measuring outcomes and evaluating the efficacy of its programs. The STARS Management and Staff rigorously collect annual program data which is then evaluated and analyzed by Evaluation Design of Brentwood, TN. To ensure systemic consistency, all valuations are fully automated, compiled and then used in program planning and strategic decision making about services and staff development opportunities. In 2001, STARS received an award sponsored by the Frist Foundation from the Center for Nonprofit Management recognizing excellence in program evaluation.

Data is collected through a myriad of perspectives. Students participate in student evaluations, which measure outcomes, process, and satisfaction with all prevention services. School faculty and staff participate in staff satisfaction surveys, and parents participate in program evaluations. In addition, school systems conduct their own assessments of services, via internal reporting processes. All STARS staff is evaluated by their supervisor and local school personnel. STARS uses outside evaluators to conduct all prevention and staff surveys. Our instruments include the following:
· Satisfaction Surveys, student intake forms, student entry/exit   forms
· Student Intake forms
· Student entry / exit forms

Agency wide evaluation highlights from the 2004-05 school year reveal that STARS Specialists:
· Evaluated 6,057 student referrals
· Completed 11,418 individual counseling sessions
· Conducted 3,999 group sessions
· Attended to 1,473 crisis episodes
· Provided leadership/mentor training to 2,529 students
· Contributed to 87 faculty in-services
· Provided specialized training to 468 teachers and other school   personnel.

Students who participated in group or individual counseling reported greater enjoyment of school, increased feelings of belonging, and improved ability to better resist peer pressure and violence. The vast majority of students (80%) said that they felt that participating in STARS helped them to stay alcohol, tobacco, drug, and/or violence free.

STARS Objectives

Universal Prevention Activities: School-Wide
  a. School-wide, universal prevention activities positively impact       school climate and student social norms related to alcohol,       tobacco, and illegal drug use as well as violence.
  b. Provides applicable training and support to teachers and       other staff dealing with disruptive behavior and other       barriers to learning.
  c. Recruits peer leaders as role models to assist in delivering       universal prevention activities and to take the lead in      developing and implementing service learning and community      service opportunities within the school and community.

Selected and Indicated Services
  a. Through referral process, ensure identification of students       who are at high-risk for negative consequences and can       benefit from more intensive services.
  b. Specialists assess students’ strengths and needs, provide       individual and small group support counseling, and link       students with appropriate school- and community-based       services.

Specifically, STARS does the following:
   Strengthens students’ resistance, refusal, and decision-making       skills related to alcohol, drugs, sexual activity, and violence
   Promotes increased student school attachment
   Increases youth positive orientation to the future
   Promotes student involvement in the community
   Improves student behavior related to their individual service       objectives, i.e., anger/conflict management, grief issues,       academic failure, suspension, absenteeism, etc.
   Provides crisis management support for faculty and students
   Increases student and family access to and utilization of       appropriate community-based services (i.e., health, mental       health, social, etc.)

For more information, please contact Carol Nixon, Director of Evaluation at 615-279-0058, ext. 124.

References