Evaluation and documentation address three main areas. They are as follows:

Accountability – Are programs really doing what they say they’re doing? Evaluation improves accountability to school districts, volunteers, the community and funders and provides a baseline which helps programs measure improvement.

Program Effectiveness – How are they doing it? Evaluation reveals the soundness of the mentoring program framework, the degree to which the model itself works and the effectiveness of the partnerships established.

Legitimacy – Is the program making a difference? Evaluation provides data important to establish the legitimacy and effectiveness of school-based mentoring on a local and national level to influence supporters and policy-makers.

Accountability
The extent to which a school-based mentoring program actually connects caring adults with young people in schools

• Number of school districts

• Number of volunteers

• Number of youth served

• Number of hours of service

• Types of activities/commitments

Program Effectiveness
The extent to which a program follows mentoring best practices

• Screening

• Training

• Supporting volunteers

• Volunteer satisfaction

• Rates of satisfaction reflected on an annual survey

• Retention rates

• Willingness to recommend program to others

• The extent to which school districts embrace the mentoring program

• Number of new schools or districts participating

• Funding commitment for coordinator and support staff

• Integration into the school or district structure

• The number of policy changes in the community that produce a more favorable climate for adults to work with youth

• Number of partnerships formed with faith-based or civic organizations

• Number of employer partners who adopt flex or release time

• Increased public awareness of the program and mentoring in general, measured by number of media mentions, anecdotal feedback and personal stories

Legitimacy
The extent to which school-based mentors actually make a difference in the lives of young people

• Changes in academic performance

• Changes in degree of school connectedness

• Changes in attitudes towards risky behavior

• Changes in attitudes towards peers

How to Measure Accountability, Program Effectiveness and Legitimacy

• Strong volunteer tracking system documenting all aspects of the volunteer experience (i.e., training, screening and mentor visits) plus tracking numbers of participants, periods of involvement and retention

• Annual surveys of volunteers, students, teachers and parents

• Science-based case studies