AEA 2013, Multipaper Session 751 Session Title: Customizing Evaluation to Make it Work for You: Performance Metrics, Mixed Methods, and Evaluation Systems This paper presents a mixed-method, multi-disciplinary study, focused on student behavior, school culture, and climate work in grades 3-9, piloted by a large, education-focused non-profit. The study was conducted across nine cities and 31 urban, public schools, using data from an additional 157 schools to examine outcomes and quality of implementation. Researchers analyzed data from multiple sources, including school records on suspensions, detentions, and office referrals; student self-reported prosocial behaviors; ratings of student social-emotional skills; stakeholder surveys (teachers, principals/liaisons, students, program staff); and rich case observations. The study leveraged the unique strengths of an external evaluator in combination with the non-profit’s internal evaluation team and program designers. Different disciplines informed the study design, including ethnography, developmental psychology, educational research, and data analysis methods grounded in statistical theory. The results of this evaluation were highly useful in refining the program design, metrics, and quality of implementation to support positive student outcomes.#CityYear #MixedMethodsEvaluation #Prek-12EducationalEvaluation #Non-ProfitsandFoundationsEvaluation #collaborativeevaluation #education #2013Conference #schoolculture