Why Evaluation Matters in Education Policy Decisions

Audra Nikolajski, Research Associate

Last year, schools across the United States spent $981.57 billion on education. These funds support students, maintain and improve school facilities, fund programs, and launch new initiatives designed to improve learning outcomes. The scale of this investment reflects not only the work of educators and administrators, but also the combined efforts of policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels.

At the same time, policymakers face a difficult challenge. Education is filled with competing ideas about best practices, promising pilot programs, and anecdotal success stories. Each of these intiatives needs funding. With so many voices and perspectives in the conversation, determining which policies truly benefit students can be difficult.

Educational evaluators help address this challenge. By systematically studying programs from implementation to outcome, evaluators provide evidence about what is working, what is not, and how programs can be improved.

Who Shapes Education Policy?

A wide range of stakeholders influence the creation and implementation of education policy.

Citizens and Local Governments. Parents, students, teachers, administrators, homeowners, employers, and other community members all have perspectives on the policies and programs affecting their local schools. These perspectives are often communicated to school-level leaders, district administrators, and elected school boards. School boards play a key role in shaping local education systems by approving budgets, adopting policies, and determining which programs and initiatives will be implemented within their districts.

State Governments. State governments play a central role in education policy. State departments of education develop statewide initiatives and use research and data to guide policy decisions. They also establish academic standards, oversee statewide assessment systems, and set accountability requirements for schools and districts. In many cases, states also support policy implementation through funding mechanisms such as grants, formula funding, and targeted programs.

The Federal Government. The federal government plays a more limited role in education policy. The U.S. Department of Education primarily focuses on protecting students’ civil rights, administering federal education funding, and collecting national education data. Rather than directly controlling school policy, the federal government influences education priorities by establishing initiatives and providing grants or funding programs that states and districts can choose to implement.

Researchers. With multiple levels of government and a wide range of stakeholders involved in education policymaking, strong evidence is essential to inform effective decisions. Researchers, including academics, think tanks, nonprofits, and research institutions, play an important role in generating this evidence. Through methods like program evaluation, experimental research, comparative analysis, and policy studies, these organizations help identify what works in education. They also contribute by publishing research, presenting findings at conferences, and facilitating conversations between policymakers and practitioners.

What is an Educational Evaluator?

An educational evaluator is a third-party who assesses the outcomes of an educational intervention using data collection, stakeholder feedback, project documentation, and comparative analysis. Interventions can include policies, programs, projects, or initiatives aimed at improving student success or experience in some way. Evaluators examine whether a program was implemented as intended and whether the outcomes identified in its logic model were achieved. In short, evaluators determine whether a program produced its intended results.

Why are Evaluators Vital to Education Policy?

Without evaluation, policymakers and practitioners cannot know whether policies or programs are achieving their goals. Evaluators can give direct insight into whether new initiatives are working on the ground and performing as expected. They are involved through the life of a project and can identify factors affecting implementation, areas to expand in future programs, and where more resources may be needed.

Policymakers operate at a high level, focusing on broad goals and desired outcomes. Evaluators, by contrast, examine how policies are implemented on the ground and therein can give insight into ways to sculpt and shape a policy moving forward based on the evidence and testimony they gather.

For example, imagine a state launches a new literacy initiative and offers grant funding to districts that develop programs aligned with the initiative’s goals. A district might create a high-dosage tutoring program to improve reading outcomes and hire an evaluator to monitor its implementation.

If the program proves successful, the evaluator’s report can serve as a valuable resource for other districts. By documenting which components were most effective, which elements were unnecessary, and what barriers emerged during implementation, the evaluation provides a roadmap that policymakers and educators can use to guide future programs.

Evaluators therefore play a direct role in shaping education policy. By documenting both the process and outcomes of educational interventions, they help policymakers understand what works and how successful programs can be replicated or scaled.

If you are a policymaker seeking to understand the outcomes of a policy initiative, or a program leader preparing to apply for a grant or evaluate an existing project, consider working with Shaffer Evaluation Group. Contact us today for a free 30-minute consultation at seg@shafferevaluation.com.