Examples of Evaluation Tools
The following organizations have generously offered to share the work that they are doing on evaluation in the interest of helping the whole sector. Please be respectful of proprietary work, credit authors with original work, and use caution in adapting any of these tools to your own work. If in doubt, contact the organization to ask about their experiences.
Note that we offer this list without comments on which tools are likely to be most effective. Those programs where we are aware of organizations employing expert third party advisors are marked with EA.
Circus Arts Therapy (Atlanta, GA) (EA) uses a pre-test and post-test for parents based on the Likert scale. This covers a wide range of areas of child development. Credit to: Lauren A. Taglialatela, PhD Associate Professor Department of Psychology at Kennesaw State University and Carrie Heller, MSW, LCSW, RPT.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus (Hudson, NY) uses a participant survey.
Circus Harmony (St Louis, MO) (EA) has developed evaluation tools in collaboration with an external consultant. Jessica Hentoff, circuslady@circusharmony.org, is a recognized consultant and welcomes inquiries regarding this work.
Casey Lumb (Providence, RI) Although Casey does not operate a recognized social circus program, she has developed curriculum and measurement tools for a planned program. This pre- and post-test provides a simple gauge for how participants feel before and after class
Fern Street Circus (San Diego, CA) uses a student survey and parent survey.
Prescott Circus Theater (Oakland, CA) (EA) Credit materials to David Hunt, Prescott Circus Theater and Peter Ellis, Crime Prevention Partners.
Salida Circus (Salida, CO) uses a parent questionnaire to understand impact of program on youth.
The Circus Project (Portland, OR) uses questionnaires with participants (two different age groups) and partner organizations.
Trenton Circus Squad (Trenton, NJ) (EA) Below are a participant survey and youth worker survey used in the past by Trenton Circus Squad.