Program Evaluation:
Strategies for Assessing How Information Dissemination Contributes to Agency Goals
GAO-02-923: Published: Sep 30, 2002. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2002.
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Federal agencies are increasingly expected to focus on achieving results and to demonstrate, in annual performance reports and budget requests, how their activities will help achieve agency or governmentwide goals. Assessing a program's impact or benefit is often difficult, but the dissemination programs GAO reviewed faced a number of evaluation challenges--either individually or in common. The breadth and flexibility of some of the programs made it difficult to measure national progress toward common goals. The programs had limited opportunity to see whether desired behavior changes occurred because change was expected after people made contact with the program, when they returned home or to work. The five programs GAO reviewed addressed these challenges with a variety of strategies, assessing program effects primarily on short-term and intermediate outcomes. Two flexible programs developed common measures to conduct nationwide evaluations; two others encouraged communities to tailor local evaluations to their own goals. Congressional interest was key to initiating most of these evaluations; collaboration with program partners, previous research, and evaluation expertise helped carry them out. Congressional concern about program effectiveness spurred two formal evaluation mandates and other program activities. Collaborations helped ensure that an evaluation would meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.
Aug 10, 2018
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Paperwork Reduction Act:
Agencies Could Better Leverage Review Processes and Public Outreach to Improve Burden EstimatesGAO-18-381: Published: Jul 11, 2018. Publicly Released: Aug 10, 2018.
Jun 25, 2018
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Freedom of Information Act:
Agencies Are Implementing Requirements but Additional Actions Are NeededGAO-18-365: Published: Jun 25, 2018. Publicly Released: Jun 25, 2018.
Mar 13, 2018
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Freedom of Information Act:
Agencies Are Implementing Requirements but Need to Take Additional ActionsGAO-18-452T: Published: Mar 13, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 13, 2018. -
Freedom of Information Act:
Federal Court Decisions Have Not Required the Office of Special Counsel to Initiate Disciplinary Actions for the Improper Withholding of RecordsGAO-18-235R: Published: Mar 13, 2018. Publicly Released: Mar 13, 2018.
Jul 27, 2017
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Social Security Numbers:
OMB Actions Needed to Strengthen Federal Efforts to Limit Identity Theft Risks by Reducing Collection, Use, and DisplayGAO-17-553: Published: Jul 25, 2017. Publicly Released: Jul 27, 2017.
Dec 8, 2016
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DATA Act:
Implementation Progresses but Challenges RemainGAO-17-282T: Published: Dec 8, 2016. Publicly Released: Dec 8, 2016. -
Data Act:
OMB and Treasury Have Issued Additional Guidance and Have Improved Pilot Design but Implementation Challenges RemainGAO-17-156: Published: Dec 8, 2016. Publicly Released: Dec 8, 2016.
Nov 16, 2016
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Decennial Census:
Progress Report on Preparations for 2020GAO-17-238T: Published: Nov 16, 2016. Publicly Released: Nov 16, 2016.
Oct 7, 2016
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Federal Human Resources Data:
OPM Should Improve the Availability and Reliability of Payroll Data to Support Accountability and Workforce AnalyticsGAO-17-127: Published: Oct 7, 2016. Publicly Released: Oct 7, 2016.
Sep 20, 2016
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Highlights of a Forum:
Data and Analytics Innovation: Emerging Opportunities and ChallengesGAO-16-659SP: Published: Sep 20, 2016. Publicly Released: Sep 20, 2016.
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