Propriety

Propriety refers to ensuring that an evaluation will be conducted legally, ethically, and with due regard for the welfare of those involved in it and those affected by its results.

Propriety is one of the clusters of evaluation standards produced by the Joint Committee on Educational Standards:

"Propriety Standards

The propriety standards support what is proper, fair, legal, right and just in evaluations.

• P1 Responsive and Inclusive Orientation Evaluations should be responsive to stakeholders and their communities.
• P2 Formal Agreements Evaluation agreements should be negotiated to make obligations explicit and take into account the needs, expectations, and cultural contexts of clients and other stakeholders.
• P3 Human Rights and Respect Evaluations should be designed and conducted to protect human and legal rights and maintain the dignity of participants and other stakeholders.
• P4 Clarity and Fairness Evaluations should be understandable and fair in addressing stakeholder needs and purposes.
• P5 Transparency and Disclosure Evaluations should provide complete descriptions of findings, limitations, and conclusions to all stakeholders, unless doing so would violate legal and propriety obligations.
• P6 Conflicts of Interests Evaluations should openly and honestly identify and address real or perceived conflicts of interests that may compromise the evaluation.
• P7 Fiscal Responsibility Evaluations should account for all expended resources and comply with sound fiscal procedures and processes."