CYFAR Approved Common Measures

Revision of the CYFAR Common Measures

CYFAR Common Measures revision was spearheaded by the CYFAR PDTA Center, a partnership between the University of Minnesota and Pennsylvania State University, in order to support CYFAR grantees with their program evaluation efforts. This process included creating a new CYFAR model and the systematic identification, review, and vetting of diverse instruments to gather comprehensive data on various program and participant outcomes. These measures were selected during a rigorous identification and review process because they are appropriate for CYFAR target populations, address outcomes important to CYFAR programs, and address the need to assess system-wide impact with validated tools.

CYFAR grantees will be required to collect the following information

CYFAR data collection is a pre/post design with data collected at the beginning and the end of the program throughout the year.

Pre-test Measures: Post-test Measures:
Demographics Demographics
Life Skills Life Skills
Resilience Resilience
  Program Quality
  Participation
  Engagement

Measures Completed by Children (9 years and younger):

  • Program Quality
  • Life Skills
  • Resilience

Measures Completed by Youth (approximately 10 years to 17 years):

  • Demographics
  • Life Skills
  • Resilience
  • Program Quality
  • Engagement

Measures Completed by Adults (approximately 18 years and older):

  • Demographics
  • Life Skills
  • Resilience
  • Program Quality
  • Participation
  • Engagement

Measures Completed by Program Staff:

  • Program Quality (staff perception of program quality)
  • On behalf of child participants - Demographics, Participation, and Engagement
  • On behalf of youth participants – Participation

Please note all the measures previously mentioned are required. There are no longer include any short-term measures. Grantees may also include additional measures based on their individual program evaluation needs.

In the table below you will find a list of the approved and required Common Measures for use by CYFAR grantees. The left column of the table includes the name of the measure and a link to a printable PDF version of the instrument. The right column provides an overview of the measures.

Required CYFAR Common Measures

Program Quality - Staff - Spanish Staff Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety relationships, and skill building.

Program Quality - Youth - Spanish Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety, relationships, and skill building.

Program Quality - Adult - Spanish Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety, relationships, and skill building.

Program Quality - Child - Spanish Child Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety, relationships, and skill building.

Life Skills - Adult - Spanish Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures behaviors and attitudes related to outcomes common in CYFAR programs (e.g., decision making and critical thinking).

Life Skills - Youth - Spanish Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures behaviors and attitudes related to outcomes common in CYFAR programs (e.g., decision making and critical thinking).

Life Skills - Child - Spanish Child Version *Required

This instrument measures behaviors and attitudes related to outcomes common in CYFAR programs (e.g., decision making and critical thinking).

Demographics - Child - Spanish (Completed by Staff) Child Version - Completed by Staff *Required

This instrument collects child program participant demographic data including gender, age, ethnicity, race, education, employment, and military service.

Demographics - Youth - Spanish Youth Version *Required

This instrument collects youth program participant data including gender, age, grade level, ethnicity, race, and parental military service.

Demographics - Adult - Spanish Adult Version *Required

This instrument collects adult program participant demographic data including gender, age, ethnicity, race, education, employment, and military service.

Participation Level - Adult - Spanish Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures program dosage (frequency and length) and participation in other activities.

Participation Level - Youth - Spanish (Completed by Staff) Youth Version (Completed by Staff) *Required

This instrument measures program dosage (frequency and length) and length of participation in 4-H.

Participation Level - Child - Spanish (Completed by Staff) Child Version - Completed by Staff *Required

This instrument measures program dosage (frequency and length) and length of participation in 4-H.

Engagement - Youth - Spanish Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures participants' concentration, interest, and enjoyment in the program.

Engagement - Adult - Spanish Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures participants' concentration, interest, and enjoyment in the program.

Engagement - Child - Spanish Child Version *Required

This instrument measures participants' concentration, interest, and enjoyment in the program.

Resilience - Child - Spanish Child Version *Required

This instrument measures social-ecological resilience.

Resilience - Youth - Spanish Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures social-ecological resilience.

Resilience - Adult - Spanish Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures social-ecological resilience.

Engagement - Youth - English Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures participants' concentration, interest, and enjoyment in the program.

Engagement - Adult - English Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures participants' concentration, interest, and enjoyment in the program.

Engagement - Child - English Child Version - Completed by Staff *Required

This instrument measures participants' concentration, interest, and enjoyment in the program.

Life Skills - Adult - English Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures behaviors and attitudes related to outcomes common in CYFAR programs (e.g., decision making and critical thinking).

Life Skills - Youth - English Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures behaviors and attitudes related to outcomes common in CYFAR programs (e.g., decision making and critical thinking).

Life Skills - Child - English Child Version *Required

This instrument measures behaviors and attitudes related to outcomes common in CYFAR programs (e.g., decision making and critical thinking).

Resilience - Adult - English Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures social-ecological resilience.

Resilience - Youth - English Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures social-ecological resilience.

Resilience - Child - English Child Version *Required

This instrument measures social-ecological resilience.

Program Quality - Staff - English Staff Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety relationships, and skill building.

Program Quality - Child - English Child Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety, relationships, and skill building.

Program Quality - Adult - English Adult Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety, relationships, and skill building.

Participation Level - Child - English (Completed by Staff) Child Version - Completed by Staff *Required

This instrument measures program dosage (frequency and length) and length of participation in 4-H.

Demographics - Child - English (Completed by Staff) Child Version - Completed by Staff *Required

This instrument collects child program participant demographic data including gender, age, ethnicity, race, education, employment, and military service.

Program Quality - Youth - English Youth Version *Required

This instrument measures aspects of the program, such as safety, relationships, and skill building.

Participation Level - Adult - English Version for Adults *Required

This instrument measures program dosage (frequency and length) and participation in other activities.

Participation Level - Youth - English (Completed by Staff) Version for Youth (Completed by Staff) *Required

This instrument measures program dosage (frequency and length) and length of participation in 4-H.

Demographics - Adult - English Adult Version *Required

This instrument collects adult program participant demographic data including gender, age, ethnicity, race, education, employment, and military service.

Demographics - Youth - English Youth Version *Required

This instrument collects youth program participant data including gender, age, grade level, ethnicity, race, and parental military service.