Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1542824
R. Adeboye, C. Flewelling,V. Ogbole, E. O'Sullivan 80 other supports they receive, leaving a gap in the findings with respect to whether teachers are equipped to use Connected North to its best advantage. 5) Lack of information on a key Program Theory Assumption: As noted above, the evaluation was ultimately unable to gather relevant data on whether the effects of the Connected North program are linear - i.e., whether there is a minimum, maximum, or optimal number or distribution of sessions that would yield the best results. This is an important question from a user decision-making perspective; which could potentially be explored in future work. 6) Lack of information on alternative explanations: Mayne's early work on contribution analysis suggested that "a contribution claim could be made when external factors were shown not to have contributed significantly" (Mayne 2019, p. 175). His articulation of contribution analysis has since evolved, however, with Mayne later arguing that "if addressing the narrower question of whether the intervention made a contribution to the impact and how it did so, then these other factors need not play a major role in the analysis" (Mayne 2019, p. 176). The focus of this evaluation was indeed simply to determine the credibility of the claim that Connected North is contributing to improved graduation rates, not to establish it as the principal cause or quantify its impact. That being said, it should again be acknowledged that external contextual factors identified in the Program Theory were generally beyond the evaluation's scope, and the evaluators did not have access to baseline outcome measures— such as comparative graduation rates for users and non-users of Connected North—against which alternative explanations could be assessed. Rather, this evaluation approached the idea of alternative explanations by exploring the extent to which teachers had access to other programs with similar goals or approaches, and how Connected North was positioned within the broader educational landscape. As discussed above, teachers consistently described Connected North as a unique, full-service program, distinct from narrower educational enrichment initiatives. They also characterized it as complementary to other cultural programming; and as just one piece of a larger educational puzzle that can support learning, and potentially be the "spark" that helps students find rewarding educational and career paths. Conclusion The final conclusion of this evaluation is that the program design is solidly grounded in pedagogical research and best practices; that it is generally being implemented with fidelity; and that there is evidence that expected outcomes are materializing and that, therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that Connected North is contributing positively to improving graduation rates in participating schools.