Six core values describe what we hold most important in practicing eeVAL. These values were co-created by a community of environmental education practitioners, evaluators, funders, and academics. eeVAL is informed by an existing culturally responsive and equitable evaluation framework (Hood, Hopson, & Kirkhart, 2015) and made distinct with its application to environmental education. These values will evolve over time, as evaluation practices become more inclusive of the voices and experiences of people who may hold the least power among us.

The eeVALues

1. Authentic engagement, our first value, is oriented toward collaboration, inclusivity, capacity-building, and civic action that contributes to healthier communities and equitable outcomes for all.

2. Deep curiosity incorporates multiple perspectives and methods of inquiry rooted in the cultures, histories, and traditions of the local context where an evaluation takes place.

3. Equity in motion uses equitable evaluation policies and practices to contribute to equitable outcomes. 

4. Lifelong learning and critical reflection summons continuous growth at both the individual and organizational level, examines assumptions, and celebrates new ideas.

5. Collective evaluation allows for learning to be shared beyond organizations and networks of organizations to convey the multitude of evaluation processes, stories, and impacts.

6. High quality evaluation balances the technical mechanics of evaluation with the socio-political and ethical considerations of how evaluation may impact stakeholders and communities.

A community of people and organizations contributed their knowledge and experience to create these values. We are especially grateful to the following individuals for their contributions: Charissa Jones, Luciana Ranelli, Spirit Brooks, Ashlyn Teather, Jean Kayira, Karyl Askew, Libby McCann, Charlotte Clark, Liz DeMattia, and Noelle Wyman Roth. Special thanks to Steve Braun, Katie Navin, and Rachel Szczytko for providing critical review and comment.