Impact of Reports

Program evaluations are intended to assist in improving government operations and services.  Reports contain recommendations to either the Legislature or the agency evaluated to improve government operations.  While providing legislative oversight, the process does not mandate agency compliance with recommendations and evaluation staff do not have enforcement powers. 

Awards
 For four years (1997 – 2000), Wyoming’s Program Evaluation Section has received the Certificate of Recognition of Impact from the National Legislative Program Evaluation Section of the National Conference of State Legislatures.  The Certificate is intended to recognize reports which have had significant impact on improving governmental operations and programs. 

Program evaluation staff assessed the impact of the 16 reports released between 1995 and 1999, to determine the extent to which report recommendations had been implemented.  During this five-year period, about 60 percent of recommendations were addressed to evaluated agencies, while the remainder were addressed to the Legislature. 

Implementation Rate
To determine the status of report recommendations, staff conduct follow-up reviews approximately two years after a report is released. 

Over the five-year period analyzed, most of the recommendations had been acted on in some fashion.  More than 60 percent had been fully implemented, while 20 percent had been partially implemented.  Another 10 percent of the recommendations concerned operational changes at a youth treatment facility which was subsequently closed,  negating the need for compliance with the recommendations.

Areas Reviewed
Staff identified the functional areas of government in which the Management Audit Committee requested evaluations during this five-year period.  Approximately 40 percent of the studies were multi-agency program reviews, while another 25 percent were general government reviews.  Evaluations of education programs and natural resource programs comprised 30 percent of this body of work, while family service programs totaled about 6 percent.