An evaluation of a culturally sensitive educational program for low economic level Hispanics, Hidalgo County, Texas

Abstract

The purpose of this evaluation research was to assess the effectiveness of a pilot project designed to address the problems facing the Hispanic community. The Una Vida Mejor (UVM) pilot project developed by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service (TAEX) was used as the model for this research. The study was conducted in Hidalgo County, Texas. Three distinct populations participated in the study: 57 TAEX personnel, 89 Hispanic females who participated in a UVM parenting program, and 35 community leaders. The methodology included surveys, focus group discussions, and personal interviews. Each populations' perceptions on how effective UVM was in developing culturally sensitive programs for Hispanics was determined. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, frequency distributions, and mean ratings were applied where appropriate. Three major findings were identified. First, UVM used a combination of demonstration and operational program design models in the development of the UVM pilot program. Second, UVM did not effectively address eight of the fourteen components identified in its conceptual design model for developing culturally sensitive programs. Third, the Hispanic women who participated in the UVM parenting program perceived significant improvements in their parenting skills. Based on these findings, it was not possible for UVM to isolate which variable were responsible for the improvement of the parenting skills among the Hispanic women. Nor was it possible to identify the components within the conceptual design model that were effective for developing culturally sensitive programs. Therefore, it will not be possible to identify specific components of this program that can be transferred to other sites and be expected to obtain similar results.