Grant Evaluation Inc. is an independent research firm that has conducted numerous national and international evaluations of educational and youth development programs. The firm has experience with more than twenty Teaching American History grant evaluations across the country and is the evaluator for the National Presidential Academy for Teaching American History. This year more than 50,000 students will be tested on history content knowledge by GEI.

Recently GEI evaluated the U.S. Department of Education’s Teaching American History grants in various states, a U.S. Department of Health Too Smart to Start grant, an international non-profit youth development program, and the non-profit Bill of Rights Institute curricula, a high school program designed to instruct students about American history, especially related to the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution. A landmark six-year follow up study also was conducted of a high school entrepreneurship program taught to inner city youth in three major cities.

GEI completed a third year evaluation for a Teaching American History Grant program in New Jersey and is completing first and second year evaluations of additional grants in numerous states. GEI also has conducted evaluations of national and international youth development initiatives, arts and music grant programs, and substance abuse treatment and enforcement programs.

The principal researcher, Robert Peterson, has extensive experience administering and evaluating large education and human service programs and advising charitable donors and grant recipients on evaluation matters. The firm also works contractually with university and college statisticians and experts. Mr. Peterson has written and lectured nationally on effective evaluation for philanthropies and has designed and implemented numerous major program evaluation projects.

Mr. Peterson developed a statewide grant and contract evaluation system for health, education, and enforcement grants in the state of Michigan. He administered more than $100 million in federal and state grant programs and established uniform statewide program accountability and performance measures.

Robert Peterson holds a J.D. cum laude from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law and completed all of the Ph.D. coursework and exams in the School of Management Policy Studies program (all but dissertation). Courses included doctorate level statistical and evaluation and analysis design courses and seminars.

Mr. Peterson has served at the top levels of federal, state, and local government in the United States. He also was assigned to the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. during President Reagan’s Administration. Mr. Peterson has appeared on major television, radio and news programs, including CNN’s ‘Larry King Live’, and has published articles and book chapters.

Dr. Thomas VanValey , chair of the Sociology Department at Western Michigan University, who is on sabbatical and has extensive statistical research and evaluation design experience, is a member of the GEI team. Dr. VanValey oversaw development and implementation of the Michigan annual AOD survey of more than 175,000 students per year.

Dr. Gerald Franz , a history professor who serves on his college’s curriculum committee is also an evaluation reviewer on the team. Dr. Franz was recently recognized by former President George Bush (Sr.) for his creative approach to teaching U.S. History.