MPA 550/PLS 499: Public Policy Program Evaluation Faculty: Dr. Sandra M. Emerson

PHONE TIME THURS. 6:00 - 9:50 p.m. (909) 869-3879 NUMBER LOCATION Building 1 Rm. 317 E- MAIL [email protected] Monday 3- 4 p.m.; Thursday 3-4 p.m. OFFICE HOURS FAX (909) 869-6995 Saturday 1 - 3 p.m.

Goals and Objectives To enable students to:

1. Define policy evaluation. 2. Describe the policy evaluation process. 3. Distinguish among formative, process, output and outcome evaluations. 4. Define a policy problem. 5. Identify criteria for policy problem and how it is related to the policy area. 6. Employ appropriate methods for empirically examining policy assumptions, theories and consequences. 7. Develop and implement surveys, focus groups, and elite interviews 8. Identify, describe, and utilize the appropriate analytical tools for examining quantitative and qualitative data 9. Draw conclusions from data and information analyzed. 10.Report on program operations, success and challenges 11.Prepare written reports.

In addition graduate students will :

12.CITI Certified and able to submit an IRB application for independent research required of the graduate program 13.Be able to prioritize and help others to prioritize criteria for the purpose of evaluation. 14.Be able to design, implement, analyze and explain qualitative methodologies to lay persons. 15.Be able to design, implement, analyze and explain quantitative data to lay persons 16.Draw appropriate conclusions from systematic data analysis and provide guidance and support to team members 17.Present findings and address questions related to the design, development, analysis and finding of qualitative and quantitative data. Activities

The MPA 550/PLS 499 classes and the College of Engineering (COEs) at Cal Poly Pomona have agreed to collaborate on the design, development, implementation, analysis and presentation of a needs assessment for the COEs undergraduate culminating project effort. Currently all undergraduate engineering majors must complete a cumulative project in their discipline to earn a baccalaureate degree. However, due to cuts in state funding, accreditation requirements, growing enrollments and reductions in faculty the COE is seeking to redesign and reinvigorate its undergraduate culminating project effort. As part of this objective the college is seeking the assistance of the MPA/PLS program to define the scope of the problem, identify strengths and opportunities as well as challenges in securing support for the undergraduate project effort.

While there is a broad outline regarding the activities of this effort the specifics are summarized in a Letter of Understanding developed between the COE and the MPA 550/ PLS students.

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. To assure students are tooled up for the course there will be 3 ‘pop quizzes’ this quarter with a sum of 90 questions. When a student has received a sum of 54 or higher he/she has earned 20 points for the course.

Expectations

The class will be conducted as a working seminar. Participants are expected to be prepared 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 submitted via email at [email protected]. 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 are weighted and calculated as follows:

Assigned task MPA Points PLS Points Say Hi on Blackboard 05 05 Quizzes: Sum of 54 or > out of 90 questions 20 20 CITI certification 10 Extra credit (10) Elite Interview Notes on Blackboard 15 10 Focus group notes on Blackboard 10 20 Field notes of senior project classes Extra credit (10) 15 Alumni survey analysis 15 10 Draft of assigned final report section 15 15 Presentation and evaluation of presentation 10 05 Participation/attendance, collaboration and [- 5 points for each Extra 5 points extra credit points as posted. missed class > than 1] for attendance for all classes ∑ of all points earned. X/100 100 to 110+ 100 to 115+

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

 Posavac Emil, J. 2011. Program Evaluation: Methods and Case Studies. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.  Luton, Larry S. 2010. Qualitative Research Approaches for Public Administration. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe.  Korey, J. L. 2010. Powermutt. Accessed January 2011 on at http://www.csupomona.edu/~jlkorey/POWERMUTT/ (on Korey web page) OR  Pollack, P. 2009 An SPSS Companion to Political Analysis. Washington D.C.: CQ Press. (MPA 504)

On Line Readings

 Aberbach, J. and B. Rockman, 2002. Conducting and Coding Elite Interviews. PS: Political Science and Politics, 35, (4), 673-676.  ____2005. Guidelines for Conducting Focus Groups. Eliot and Associates accessed January 2011 at http://assessment.aas.duke.edu/documents/How_to_Conduct_a_Focus_Group.pdf

MPA - Readings on Reserve in Library or On-Line

 Hatry, H., Marcotte, van Houten and Weiss, 1999. Customer Surveys for Agency Managers. Washington D. C.: Urban Institute Press. (On reserve)

 Neuman, W. L, 2007. Basics of Social Research, Boston: Allyn and Bacon (On reserve)

 Portz, J. 1996. Problem definitions and policy agendas: Shaping the Educational Agenda in Boston. Policy Studies Journal, 24 (autumn) 371-86.

 Worthen, B., J Sanders and Fitzpatrick, J. 1999. Program Evaluation 2nd edition. New York: Longman. (On reserve)

See Course Schedule below for details.