April 2, 2024
When the Sun Sets on a Program
When you hear the word ‘sunset,’ I know your first thought is about beautiful Kansas sunsets and how much you enjoy them. However, the term can also apply to educational programs.
Sunset is another term for retiring or discontinuation of a program. But how do we tell if it’s time to sunset an educational program?
There may be a number of warning signs, such as low attendance, low retention or poor evaluations. A more in-depth review of the program data may include:
- How many times the program has been offered?
- What do the participants say about the need for the program?
- What does the evaluation data indicate?
- Is the program yielding the type of outcomes we are expecting?
Examining the program data may lead us to redesigning the program or the way we market it to consumers. We may decide that based upon participants’ needs, trends or the time invested in program delivery does not merit the continuation of the program for the outcomes we are gaining.
Is it okay to sunset an extension program? The answer is yes. Some programs in the beginning may meet an educational need but have a short shelf life, while others may be needed for a longer period as participants’ and/or producers’ needs may not change much over time.
It is incumbent on us as extension education professionals that we periodically review our educational offerings to determine if they are still relevant, or if it is time to sunset.
If you or your PFT are seeing warning signs for a particular program or even a Signature Program, it may be time to examine if the program is still relevant in our program offerings.