According to U.S. Census estimates for 2022, Kentucky ranks among the top six states for poverty by median household income. Current statistics show that 16.3% of Kentuckians live in poverty, compared with 12.6% nationally. Additionally, 37% of Kentucky adults are obese, ranking the state in the top 10 in the U.S. for obesity. 

As an integral part of programming within the Kentucky Extension system, the University of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program (KYNEP) provides education to address these issues. KYNEP programming goals are to improve diet quality, food preparation skills, physical activity, and food safety practices for limited-resource individuals and families. The KYNEP program has many facets, but one of its most foundational is the county-based nutrition program assistants who provide direct education in their community. 

The changes in dietary guidance from the Federal level, along with updated KYNEP curriculums and evaluations, generated a need to update the performance evaluation documents used annually with KYNEP program assistants statewide. The current documents had not been updated in several years and were no longer as applicable as needed. A working group (NEP PE Project Team) was formed from NEP state staff members with a variety of experiences and responsibilities with the program. The core team included Leslie Workman, Extension Specialist; Caroline Durr, Extension Specialist, Leslie McCammish, Extension Specialist for Data Systems and Compliance; Crystal Osborne, Area Nutrition Agent; Heather Shaw, Area Nutrition Agent; and Denise Rennekamp, Assistant Director for KYNEP. The goals of the NEP PE Project Team were to update the performance evaluation for Nutrition Education Program paraprofessionals, 1) to more accurately account for their programming and other responsibilities, and 2) using an approach that is respectful of our unique programs, encourages innovative thinking and gathers information through active listening. 

The NEP PE Project Team met several times a month for over a year to create a new set of performance evaluation documents for supervising agents, area nutrition agents, and KYNEP assistants to use. The NEP PE Project Team met with additional resources for testing and refinement of the final documents. 

The NEP Assistant Performance Evaluation itself is supported by the Quarterly Report which relies on NEERS data based on data collected from program participants. The Evaluation contains updated expected graduation rates and expected behavior changes based on current programming and curriculum evaluations. A new section of the Evaluation (section D, Accountability & Professionalism) allows supervising agents to accurately provide feedback using the standard University 4-point system.  An expanded comment box was added for both supervisors and for KYNEP assistants to add narrative comments. 

The updated Performance Evaluation documents generated more work than initially anticipated. Several peripheral documents, forms, and other systems received an update due to this process. The Evaluation documents were moved to Teams in their final iterations and training for both KYNEP assistants and supervising agents was done. The NEP PE Project Team is prepared to evaluate the document system at the conclusion of FY24 for needed changes for FY25.