Performing an evaluation serves many purposes:

It helps school staff members keep abreast of what is and is not working with the school garden project. It enables staff to anticipate problems and generate new ideas for improving and sustaining the project. It helps teachers and administrators ensure that students are making the educational gains with the garden programs and activities. It builds solid evidence for the value of the project and helps convince potential supporters that the garden—both the physical site and the educational activities it supports—deserves their support.

The team may hire a professional evaluator or perform a self-assessment, which is usually a more realistic option for most school garden budgets.