The Strong Fathers Strong Families intervention aims to improve child outcomes, father-child engagement, and community support.

For this evaluation, preliminary qualitative data collection will be conducted via interviews with fathers, teachers, school administrators, and Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) representatives at three different Texas elementary schools at various stages of implementing Strong Fathers Strong Families.

The purpose of this preliminary data collection is to better understand the motivations and perceptions of father engagement and Strong Fathers Strong Families among these groups in order to develop and identify measures when developing the evaluation plan. The evaluation plan will encompass a mixed-methods design that will include qualitative and quantitative tools to conduct a process evaluation and outcome evaluation of Strong Fathers Strong Families.

This program evaluation will add to the research area of father-child engagement and understanding its impacts on child, family, and community outcomes. Currently, there is limited research on the impacts of father-child engagement, particularly among father engagement within school contexts. This program evaluation will add to this area of child and family wellbeing to better understand the perceptions and motivations of fathers and school personnel and the impacts of programming on promoting father engagement.

Funding for this project was made possible by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The views expressed in written project materials or publications do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Annie E. Casey Foundation; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.