Developing Key Indicators

The indicators should be driven by the goals and actions defined for the campaign. As you track the progress of your campaign the measures of analysis should indicate increased awareness, increased knowledge, motivation and attitude change, simple or complex behavior change. You should determine the amount of change that is appropriate and realistic.

In the Go Higher Kentucky, Education Pays campaign, contractors obtained a baseline measurement of Kentuckians' awareness and attitudes toward adult education programs and education in general, both before and after the campaign. Six hundred telephone interviews were conducted among residents between the ages of 18 to 49. To eliminate biases, survey respondents were ineligible if anyone in the household worked in the area of education; likewise, only five percent of the sample could be currently enrolled in a GED program. When asked about the meaning of the slogan “Education Pays,” 75 percent of adults mentioned the relationship between educational attainment and higher-paying jobs after the first media buy; only 61 percent did so before the ad campaign.

In the Go Higher Kentucky, Education Pays campaign, record high enrollments in adult education were achieved in 2001 (62,734 students) and 2002 (86,413 students).

The Virginias Race to GED campaign set a goal to double the number of Virginians getting General Educational Development diplomas to 20,000 a year. Approximately 800,000 Virginians, older than 25, did not complete high school according to the 2000 U.S. census. The figure exceeds one million if Virginians age 18 to 25 are included. The Race to the GED campaign began January 2004 with five pilots. In August 2004, 10 more pilots were added and one year later, in August 2005, the campaign was implemented state-wide. Since the campaign launched, The Commonwealth of Virginia has experienced steady increases in the number of GED recipients. From 2003 (benchmark year) to 2005, Virginians who took the GED increased by 22% and those who passed increased by 16%.

Increase in GED completers going on to postsecondary training

Increase in percentage of adults with an associate degree or higher

Increase in percentage of adults with a baccalaureate degree

Increase in number of adults completing postsecondary education and training who are “employable”

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