Escaping the Dusty Shelf: Legislative Evaluation Offices’ Efforts to Promote Utilization

Abstract

Although scholars have proposed many steps to increase evaluation use, there has been little comparative empirical study of whether researchers follow these recommendations and whether specific steps are associated with greater utilization. This study of state legislative evaluators finds that those that regularly meet with stakeholders and provide readily actionable products were considered by senior legislative staff to have more impact, as were larger offices. Legislative evaluators working in auditing organizations were viewed less favorably than those working in other units; this appears to be related to their adherence to Government Auditing Standards that prescribe organizational independence. Evaluators following these standards had less stakeholder engagement than did those working in other legislative units that adhered to research standards that stress meeting stakeholder needs. Environmental factors such as changes in party control may also play a role in how the work of evaluators is valued and used in the legislative process.