Program Evaluation at the EPA
NEW – First Report Released under EPA’s Short-Term Evaluation (STEP) Program!
To enhance implementation of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, EPA is pleased to share the first program evaluation report of its pilot Short Term Evaluation Program (STEP) which was conducted in partnership with the General Services Administration Office of Evaluation Sciences. STEP aims to provide actionable insights to help EPA programs more efficiently and effectively achieve their goals.
The first report from this program focused on the EPA’s efforts to promote electronic manifests for waste generated by EPA-led cleanup sites and provides evidence-based suggestions to enhance information reporting on waste shipments. Read the report, "Requiring electronic manifests of hazardous waste generated by EPA-led cleanup sites".
EPA uses program evaluation to identify areas of improvement and focus for programs and determine progress towards identified goals or objectives.
Program evaluations are individual systematic studies (measurement and analysis) that assess how well a program is achieving its outcomes and why.
What types of program evaluations are there?
Program evaluations can assess the performance of an EPA program at all stages of a program's development. The type of program evaluation conducted aligns with the program's maturity (e.g., developmental, implementation, or completion) and is driven by the purpose for conducting the evaluation and the questions that a program seeks to answer. OMB Circular A-11, “Preparing, Submitting, and Executing the Budget” indicates 5 types of evaluations described below.
Impact Evaluation
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An Impact Evaluation assesses the causal links between program activities and outcomes. This is achieved by statistically comparing the observed outcomes with an estimate of what would have happened if the program had not existed (e.g., would the water be swimmable if the program had not been instituted).
Outcome Evaluation
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An Outcome Evaluation examines the extent to which a program achieves its stated goals and objectives, focusing on effectiveness.
Process or Implementation Evaluation
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A Process or Implementation Evaluation assesses whether a program or process is implemented as designed or operating as intended and identifies opportunities for improvement. Process evaluations often begin with an analysis of how a program currently operates. Process evaluations may also assess whether program activities and outputs conform to statutory and regulatory requirements, EPA policies, program design or customer expectations.
Formative Evaluation
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A Formative Evaluation assesses the feasibility of a program or policy before its full implementation. This type of evaluation can include process and outcome measures, but its overall goal is to assist with proactive learning and improvement.
Descriptive Studies
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Descriptive Studies aim to describe a program quantitatively or qualitatively without inferring causality or measuring effectiveness.