Evaluating Food Stamp Nutrition Education: A View from the Field of Program Evaluation

The purpose of this paper is to review current approaches and issues in the field of program evaluation that apply to the effort of improving the evaluation of Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE). As nutrition educators respond to increasing demands for accountability and measuring results, there are challenges to consider, as well as opportunities to capture. This paper includes a focus on the internal and external functions of evaluation, with attention given to evaluation’s internal use and value in improving practice. A list of 10 building blocks is offered as essential for planning useful and credible evaluation of FSNE.