Understanding Criteria

• Criteria: Standards used to evaluate the potential outcomes of each alternative.
• Purpose: Bridge analytic facts and evaluative judgments.

“Criteria are evaluative standards used to judge the goodness of the projected policy outcomes.”
— Bardach & Patashnik, 2020, p. 53

Types of Criteria

1. Evaluative Criteria:
   • Standards to assess desirability (e.g., efficiency, equity).
2. Practical Criteria:
   • Considerations related to implementation (e.g., legality, political acceptability).

Common Evaluative Criteria

• Efficiency: Maximizing resources to achieve goals.
• Effectiveness: Degree to which objectives are met.
• Equity: Fairness in distribution of benefits and burdens.
• Political Acceptability: Support from stakeholders and policymakers.

Example: Criteria for Reducing Achievement Gaps

1. Primary Criterion:
   • Effectiveness: Significant reduction in achievement gaps.
2. Secondary Criteria:
   • Cost-Effectiveness: Optimal use of budget resources.
   • Equity: Fair distribution of resources among all student demographics.
   • Political Feasibility: Support from key stakeholders.

Steps to Define Criteria

1. Primary Criterion: Directly addresses the core problem.
2. Secondary Criteria: Additional factors influencing desirability.

Define Metrics

Avoiding Common Mistakes

• Do Not Confuse Alternatives with Criteria:
  • Alternatives are actions; criteria are standards for evaluation.

“Alternatives are courses of action, whereas criteria are mental standards for evaluating the results of action.”
— Bardach & Patashnik, 2020, p. 69

Weighting Criteria

• Relative Importance: Assign weights based on policy goals.
• Balancing Values: Prioritize criteria based on overarching values.

Approaches to Weighting

1. Political Process:
   • Let existing frameworks determine weights.
2. Analyst Imposition:
   • Adjust weights to reflect fairness and underrepresented interests.

Practical Application

• Group Separately:
  • Positive (benefit) criteria vs. Negative (cost) criteria.
• Specify Metrics:
  • Ensure clarity and measurability.
• Focus on Relevance:
  • Criteria should align with policy objectives.

Group Exercise:

Topic: Selecting Evaluation Criteria

Task:

• Scenario: Evaluating alternatives to improve digital literacy in schools.

• In Groups:

  1. Identify and list potential criteria.
  2. Define clear metrics for each criterion.
  3. Assign relative weights to each criterion.

Share Your Findings: Each group presents their criteria and metrics.

Conclusion

• Assembling Evidence:
  • Critical for understanding and framing the problem.
• Constructing Alternatives:
  • Generates viable policy options.
• Selecting Criteria:
  • Ensures objective and value-driven evaluations.

Reminders

• Share your Feedback: https://bit.ly/4dLGile
• Workshop #3 - 10/9 (Following Wed)
  • Read Bardach Pg 147-155 (different levers) & Recap Pg 31 - 49
  • Confirm your 3-5 alternatives
  • Pre-select at least 3 distinct criteria to bring for discussion in workshop
• Next Assignment: Education Sector Analysis, Problem Definition, Policy Alternatives & Evaluation Criteria (Group Assignment, Due 10/21 Noon) [Complete/Incomplete