In his review of Frank Caro's article, "Leverage and Evaluation Effectiveness," the author challenges Caro's assertion that evaluations are weaker than they could be because evaluators are in weak organizational positions to demand methodological rigor or full program cooperation. Caro's model aligning evaluation with regulation is…

This paper presents (1) a review of national policy guidelines for the evaluation of vocational education; (2) a description and analysis of the typical responses of state and local agencies of evaluation requirements; (3) some evaluation issues that may be applicable to vocational education evaluation; and (4) suggestions for improving vocational…

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in…

The practice of mainstreaming preschool children is critically analyzed by examining the nature of the federal policy that has resulted in mainstreaming and the status of implementing the goals and objectives that the policy seeks to address. (PN)

The central purpose of this paper is to describe the origins, assumptions, approaches, and problems of the major evaluation efforts relating to vocational education specified in the Educational Amendments of 1976. The first of five chapters provides background information on vocational education, evaluation, and the Education Amendments of 1976.…

This article discusses results of regulations for Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded, arguing that, by establishing minimum standards for funding, these policies promote mediocrity. Strategies for promoting compliance behaviors are offered, as are observations on regulatory reform and the process of regulatory impact. (PB)

This article reviews regulations governing Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR), including 1971 ICF/MR Medicaid funding legislation, standards development by professional consensus, development of federal regulations, intergovernmental roles, and possible directions for the future. A need is seen for professionals to…

This brief describes new requirements for vocational education program improvement and evaluation mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990. Recommendations to enhance the impact of program improvement and evaluation activities are included. The first two sections discuss developing new state…

The Education Amendments of 1976, Public Law 94-482, which revised the Vocational Education Act (VEA) of 1963, introduced major new requirements for the evaluation of federally funded vocational education programs. This paper describes the activities stimulated by these evaluation requirements and shows how evaluation results are used to revise…

Compiled for school administrators who must initiate or respond to external mandate for change, this guide draws on the experiences of 10 rural school districts that participated in the federally funded Experimental Schools (ES) program for perspectives that can be used in the successful management of change efforts in school districts. Organized…

Federal support for research in vocational education dates from the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917. However, only one substantial study of vocational education research has been undertaken. In 1974, the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council was awarded funds from the Bureau of Occupational and Adult Education for a two-year examination…

This paper examines existing federal and state standards for the group care of infants and toddlers and offers suggestions for realistic and constructive child care policy for children and families in the 1980's. Particularly emphasized are the effects of day care environments on the psychological development of infants and toddlers and the…

Abt Associates' concluding report on its research of the federally funded Experimental Schools (ES) program identifies educational needs in rural schools, introduces the substance of the ES program, and presents the major findings of the research in terms of the dynamics of rural school districts and the design and implementation of federal…

Living in an age of communication, literacy is an extremely integral part of our society. We are impacted by literature during our infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. "Literacy for the New Millennium" includes information from specialists in the field who discuss the influence of popular culture, media, and technology on…

The evolution of Germany's dual apprenticeship system and the challenges now facing it were reviewed. The following topics were considered: (1) the progression from craft guilds to vocational training; (2) the history of Germany's dual apprenticeship system from its organization in the 1970s; (4) apprenticeship in the dual system; (3) Germany's…