COURSE SYLLABUS

Goals and Objectives

To enable students to:

01. Define policy evaluation.
02. Describe the policy evaluation process.
03. Distinguish among formative, process, output and outcome evaluations.
04. Define a policy problem.
05. Identify criteria for policy problem and how it is related to the policy area.
06. Prioritize and help others to prioritize criteria for the purpose of evaluation.
07. Employ appropriate methods for empirically examining program means, ends, policy assumptions, theories and consequences.
08. Develop and implement surveys, field observations, and elite interviews
09. Identify, describe, and explain the appropriate analytical tool for examining quantitative and qualitative data
10. Draw conclusions from data and information analyzed.
11. Report on program operations, success and challenges
12. Prepare verbal and written reports .

Activities

The MPA 550 class and the Weed and Seed Program of the City of Pomona have agreed to collaborate on the design, development, execution, analysis and presentation of an evaluation of the city's Weed and Seed Program . The Weed and Seed program seeks to improve law enforcement, community policing and public services in an effort to restore and revitalize the target community.

While there is a broad outline regarding the activities of this effort the specifics are summarized in a Letter of Understanding developed between the City of Pomona and the MPA 550/PLS 417 students. Consequently students will be required to

attend each class and/or special sessions in lieu of class,
implement tasks completely and on time, and
submit materials/data as assigned.

Expectations

The class will be conducted as a seminar. All participants are expected to be prepared and to contribute actively to the discussion and exercises. All written assignments are due on the specified dates. Late assignments are penalized with a reduction in grade. Materials will be submittedvia email at smemerson@csupomona.edu. Please label your files with your name and assignment title.

Students are responsible for remaining current with the readings and assignment schedule as in the syllabus. An assignment is complete and correct when approved by the faculty.

Your attendance in class is critical. Students will be dropped a full letter grade if they are absent more than once. Assignments must be complete and on time to receive full credit.

We participate in this effort as professionals prepared to manage our time and resources in a manner that is effective and valuable in meeting individual and group objectives. Therefore it is strongly recommended that students allow sufficient time in their schedules to complete the readings and assignments.

Grading

Grades will be determined by criteria for excellence for each assignment, mutually established by client, faculty and students. Final course grades will be weighted and calculated as follows:

* Input into:

• criteria setting (focus group/elite interviews)
• completed surveys,
• analysis of survey data
• completed field observations
• analysis of field data
• provider surveys
• analysis of provider data
• analysis of observations
• final report and final presentation.
  

Academic Honesty

All assignments are to be the work of the student submitting and/or presenting the material. Any plagiarism or presenting materials of others as your own work will receive an F for the final grade.

Required Reading

• Gillham, Bill 2000. Developing a Questionnaire. London: Continuum Press (on electronic reserve under MPA 550**)
  
• Gillham, Bill 2000. The Research Interview. London: Continuum Press (on electronic reserve under MPA 550**)
  
• Korey, John 2007. Powermutt (Politically Oriented Web Enhanced Research Methods for Undergraduates--Topics and Tools) Available to students on-line or from the Bronco Copy Center.
  
• Pollack, Phillip 2005. An SPSS Companion to Political Analysis. Washington D. C.: CQ Press.
  
• Posavac Emil, J. and Raymond G. Carey 2007. Program Evaluation: Methods and Case Studies. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
  
• On-line readings noted on each week's web page.
  

• MPA 550/ PLS 417 Reader, Available at the Bronco Copy Center (est. cost of $15.50)
  

**To access electronic reserve items you need to click "yes" for the security warning AND know:

• your name
• your BRONCO number
• your PIN number (assigned by the Library) and
• the password which is MPA550 [If you have any problems contact the Leslie Jones at 869-4212.]

MPA Only - Readings on Reserve in Library

• Hatry, Henry 1990. Performance Measurement: Getting Results, Washington D.C: Urban Institute Press. (On reserve at the Circulation Desk on the 4th floor of the Library)

• Wholey, Joseph 1994. Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation,San Francisco: Jossey Bass. (On reserve at the Circulation Desk on the 4th floor of the Library)

Course Schedule

• Session Date	Topic	Readings and Assignments	Task Due and Date
  1 April 1	Introduction to Evaluation of Weed and Seed Focus Group Elite Interviews Flowcharts Teams	MPA 550/417 Reader Section 1 Posavac Chapter 1, 2 and 9 MPA: Hatry - Chapters 2, 3 Wholey-Chpt 6	Complete Limited Liability form. CITI 101 on-line course
  2 April 8	Weed and Seed Program and Administration Armando Lopez, Weed and Seed Administrator. Lena Becker, Police	MPA 550/417 Reader Section 2 and 3 Posavac Chapter 3, 5 Gillham Research Interviews (electronic reserve) Gillham Developing a Questionnaire (electronic reserve) MPA Only: Hatry - Chpts 4-5 Wholey-Chpts 11-12	Submit Certificate for CITI 101 on-line course Students must be CITI certified.
  3 April 15 Meeting Cal Poly Downtown Center	Setting the Evaluation Agenda	Posavac Chapters 1 - 4 MPA 550/417 Reader Sections 1 and 2 Focus Group Elite Interviews MPA Only: Wholey Chapter 14	Assignment 5 (Graduates) Provider Interviews -See Reader Section 5. Please read info for your provider and email me changes to draft interview guide. You must be CITI certified. Once we have final draft -- schedule and conduct the interviews.
  April 22 - 4 April 26 Meeting at 1-317 to begin field work MPA support at 8:30 a.m.	No class this evening. Class will be in the field on Saturday, April 26- see note below. RESIDENT SURVEY	Gillham Developing a Questionnaire (electronic reserve) MPA 550/417 Reader Section 4 Korey- Chapter 5 Data Collection	Assignment 1: Focus group summary and elite interview notes due to Dr. Emerson via email. (Drafts by April 18th) Students will be in teams assigned to specific areas of target community. Each student will get 22-23 surveys, thank you gifts and final instructions.
  April 29 5 May 3 Meeting at 1-317 lab to for field work and/ or data input.	No class this evening. Class will be in the field on Saturday, May 3. See note below. RESIDENT SURVEY (if not yet completed) and DATA INPUT onto an Excel OR an SPSS spreadsheet. Entry may be done in 1-317 or any computer with EXCEL	MPA 550/417 Reader Section 4 Korey- Chapters III Levels of Measurement IV Displaying Categorical Data or Pollack, P. Chapters 1 and 2	Assignment 2: Turn in completed surveys once EXCEL or SPSS file complete on or before MAY 4th. Assignment 3: Data files due to Dr. Emerson via email by midnight on May 4th.
  6 May 6	Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics Analyzing data and sharing findings with public.	Korey- Chapters IV Displaying Categorical Data VII Contingency Tables VIII Control Variables XI Comparing Means and XII Regression and Correlation or Pollack, P. Chapters 6 and 7. Posavac Chpt. 10	Social Science lab (1-317)will be open on May 10 as needed. PROVIDER ELITE interview should be completed. * Met with provider, *typed up notes and * submitted copy to Dr. E., copy okayed and * forwarded to provider for validation.
  7 May 13	Provider interviews Review / Summarize Field Observations	MPA 550/417 Reader Section 4 Posavac Chpt. 8 West University Neighborhood Housing Conditions	Assignment 4: Team reports are due on analysis of survey data via email to Dr. E. Be sure to include your output with significant and moderate/strong relationships highlighted. PROVIDER INTERVIEWS , Bring copies of your interview to share with colleagues.
  8 May 20 Meeting at: Pomona- Police Department 490 W. Mission St. (at Park)	Analysis of Provider Interviews (due via email) Analysis of Field Observations (due via email) WEEDING - Police Process with Judy Ramsey and Community Policing, Lyn Ibanez of Crime Prevention	MPA 550/417 Reader Section 5 Posavac Chpt. 7	Assignment 5: Approved notes from providers must be submitted by Graduate students along with summary of findings. Assignment 5a: Typed observations sheets for field work and summary of findings for target community as whole and for each area. Pick up writing assignments for final paper.
  9 May 27	Draft paper clear, concise, comprehensive consistent with focus group criteria .	Posavac Chapter. 13-14	Assignment 6a: Submit all drafts by midnight of May 25th. Label file with your name and section/s. Editing and finalizing full report to City of Pomona W/S.
  10 June 3	Rehearsal of Presentation	Read on-line draft of post/test study	Assignment 6b: All slides for Power Point submitted to coordinator. Have scripts for sections prepared.
  FINAL Project June 10 Meeting at: Cal Poly Downtown Center	Presentation	Evaluation of Study By City.	Presentation to Pomona's Weed and Seed Steering Committee