Chapter 4: Demystifying Data: Strategies and Tools for Making Data More Meaningful in OST Programs

Is our program achieving the change we hoped for in our youth? Are we serving the youth that we intend to serve? Are some groups of youth in our program benefiting more than others? These questions are critical for program leaders who seek to develop and implement impactful programs; and this chapter is intended to empower leaders of out-of-school time (OST) programs—especially leaders with limited experience analyzing data on program effectiveness—to collect and use data to answer them and more. There is a common misconception among OST staff that only professional evaluators or researchers should analyze data. While external evaluations are valuable at different stages of program development—such as when a well-established program is ready to assess efficacy—data can (and should!) be collected and analyzed by program leaders at all stages. To help demystify the collection and use of data, this chapter includes real-life examples from OST program leaders across the country who are using data to ensure their programs are effective.