Mission, messages, and measures: Engaging zoo educators in environmental education program evaluation

•We outline the process of implementing a large-scale monitoring system.•Our primary goal was to engage program staff in developing an evaluation strategy.•We incorporated various evaluation approaches into our education programs.•The process empowered staff and provided clarity between programs and mission goals.

Here we describe the development and implementation of a large-scale monitoring system to systematically evaluate various Chicago Zoological Society (CZS) education programs. Our primary goal was to engage program staff in developing a consistent measurement and evaluation strategy across and within education programs. We did this by using the CZS mission as a framework and incorporating participatory, theory-based, and utilization-focused evaluation approaches into our education programs. As we carried out the process, we learned several lessons that helped us to succeed. This process has allowed us to begin building the perspective among our staff and leaders that evaluation is an ongoing process that occurs alongside program delivery to inform cycles of reflection and improvement and measure program performance over time.