The Eval Lab
A 6-month, cohort-based professional learning experience that contributes to the development of the OST Evaluation Toolkit.
The University of Pittsburgh School of Education (Pitt Education) and Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) are working together to increase the capacity of out-of-school time (OST) staff and organizations in program evaluation.
The Eval Lab is a 6-month, cohort-based professional learning experience for OST professionals. The learnings from this project will inform the continued development of the OST evaluation toolkit, initially created in 2026. We are deeply grateful to the McElhattan Foundation for investing in this project.
The application to join the 2026-2027 Eval Lab Cohort has closed. Check back in late summer 2027 to learn more about applying for next year’s cohort!
Is previous evaluation experience required to participate?
While beneficial, previous experience with evaluation is not required to be eligible to participate in this cohort.
The application will ask questions related to your evaluation experience in order to gain insight into the different perspectives throughout the field. The project’s goal is to develop a well-rounded evaluation toolkit for OST, and varied experience levels are encouraged.
Participants attend a 2-day Kickoff Summit, have access to monthly workshops, and participate in an ongoing coaching process. The cohort will conclude with a closing celebration to present their evaluation learnings. Participants will be invited to complete the following additional research activities.
Pre- and post-workshop interviews
Completing session surveys (mid-way and at the end)
Reflection dialogue embedded into the cohort program
A researcher reviewing your site evaluation plans
About the Eval Lab Cohort
About the OST Evaluation Toolkit
The OST Evaluation Toolkit will be available by the end of summer 2026. Check back here or join APOST’s email list below to be the first to know when it launches!
Interested in joining The Eval Lab Cohort?
The application to join the 2026-2027 Eval Lab Cohort has closed. Check back in late summer 2027 to learn more about applying for next year’s cohort!