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. |