The YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga is happy to be supporting children in our North Georgia communities with high quality After School Programming thanks to a 21st Century grant. In efforts to ensure the best outcomes, we are looking for a professional who is highly experienced in research and evaluation as our contract/1099 21st Century Grant Programs Evaluator. This work will begin in January of 2025 and is anticipated to go through June 2025. Hours may vary but will not exceed 13 per week during this initial period.

The Evaluation Planning and Implementation of this contract position will include:

• Communicating with staff to discuss objectives, expected outcomes, and schedule details.
• Developing an Evaluation Plan with surveys, instruments, methods of data collection, and activities aligned with the approved grant.
• Developing protocols for communication, confidentiality, and sharing of information.
• Confirming reporting formats as required by the State.
• Affirming communication dissemination activities, methods of dissemination, frequency, and stakeholder engagement.
• Determining communication protocols with the data specialist for AS21 data entry.
• Providing technical assistance, as needed, related to the 21st CCLC SOARING program.
• Adhering to all Evaluation Standards and Principles.

Orientation and Monitoring will include:

• Communicating with identified staff to verify program and evaluation components.
• Utilizing a team approach for evaluation activities, data access/sharing, and oversight.
• Participating in scheduled meetings, as well as impromptu discussions/calls/emails based on concerns/topics.
• Modifying the Evaluation Plan based on feedback, State requirements or recommendations, and program implementation activities throughout the year.

Evaluation Instruments will include:

• Designing, distributing, and collecting evaluation instruments tailored to the program.

• Providing training for evaluation, as needed, and aligned with grant activities.

• Obtaining approval for instruments as required of the YMCA Board and school system Board.

The evaluation plan will address expected reporting outcomes focused on reading/literacy as measured by KD-RAP eye tracking activities. The KD-RAP program will assist

with:

• Compliance monitoring.
• Practice logs for each enrolled member (how long they practiced during each session and which practice levels were completed).
• Individual eye tracking skill gains (time and accuracy).
• Stakeholder survey data for students, parents, and teachers.
• Pre/post academic assessment growth data in reading performance as provided by each school's fall to spring reading assessments.