This paper addresses methodological and substantive issues regarding the use of portfolios of students' work in Chapter 1 evaluation and program improvement. In evaluations using portfolios desirable characteristics of the evaluation procedure are objectivity, reliability, and validity. The Chapter 1 Evaluation/Program Improvement System (CHEPIS)…

This paper examines whether the Title I/Chapter 1 tradition of leading the way in educational evaluation will continue or whether Chapter 1 will change its role by delegating decision-making authority over evaluation methodology to state and local school systems. Whatever direction Chapter 1 takes, states, school systems, and schools must be held…

Valid indicators for a school district's Chapter 1 program that would help districts make decisions and shape policy are defined and explored. The March 1988 report of the School District of Philadelphia's Chapter 1 task force proposed a 2-year phase-in of a totally restructured Chapter 1 program for the Philadelphia schools. The definition of…

The gap-reduction model has been identified as a potential alternative to or extension of the Title I Evaluation and Reporting System (TIERS). The gap-reduction model has been recommended for the evaluation of bilingual programs, but has only recently been given consideration for evaluating local Chapter 1 programs. This report recommends that…

Implementation of schoolwide projects in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) illustrates some of the conceptual problems associated with the Hawkins Stafford accountability amendments to the Chapter 1 supplementary education program. Unintended negative consequences are discussed, and recommendations are made to overcome these problems, including the…

Practical and technical advice is provided for staff responsible for planning evaluations of Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA) Chapter 1 migrant programs at the state level. The report is limited to evaluating achievement gains in basic skills; this is, however, acknowledged as only one facet of a comprehensive migrant program…

Technical problems with norm-referenced achievement testing that can lead to the erroneous evaluation of schools for Chapter 1 Program improvement is discussed, and an alternative testing model is presented. The history of Chapter 1 testing and evaluation policies is briefly reviewed, and problems with the norm-referenced model are explored. Data…

At one of a series of hearings on H.R. 6, the Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1993, several experts discussed issues related to national assessment, assessment in Chapter 1, and state efforts to develop new forms of assessment. Eleanor Chelimsky, Assistant Comptroller General for Program Evaluation and Methodology of the General…

This paper traces the evaluation requirements of the Title I/Chapter 1 Program since 1966 to the present, discusses the implications of the evaluations, and reports on the evolution of evaluation during this 20 year period. The evaluations are described in four phases: (1) from a nadir of low quality, utility and precision (1966-1974); (2) to a…

The need to assess students' educational needs and progress is explored, and minimum standards that local school districts must meet to be in compliance with classification and accreditation standards of the State Board of Education are specified. There are three major uses of assessment results: instructional, guidance and counseling, and…

The place for standardized testing in Chapter 1 evaluation is discussed. There is substantial evidence available on the negative effects of high-stakes standardized testing, and there is a clear link between Chapter 1 requirements and the amount of testing in most school districts. Standardized testing is usually used to identify eligible…