Using short-term pilot programs to evaluate textbooks can lead to unreliable results and interfere with effective education. Alternative methods for evaluating textbook-based programs include obtaining documented analyses of competitors' products from sales agents, visiting districts using programs being considered, and examining publishers' own…

Discusses the role of a college or university's chairman of the Board of Trustees. Identifies common problems, such as a lack of a clear job description, lack of training, and unrealistic expectations. Also suggests some solutions, including a job description, limited term for the board chair, and training in conducting board meetings. Offers…

The paper maintains that impact evaluation studies of programs serving handicapped infants and preschoolers should be restricted to scientifically defendable investigations. Specific types of impact studies and an evaluation process are suggested. It is suggested that program leaders should focus evaluation activities on the status of project…

Because school district census-taking can be problematic, three Virginia administrators who conducted a 1983 triennial census were asked about their procedures. Survey form design, vendors, post office and community relations, telephone questions, and data checking are discussed. A sample form is included. (KS)

Managers within the computing services environment face interesting management challenges, including technological change. A manager is required to exercise judgment to ensure that people understand organizational performance standards. Correct evaluation is the most crucial part of personnel management. (Author/MLW)

Principals are increasingly being held accountable for student achievement in the public schools, but there are many questions about how to assess principals' achievement. There are many problems with using the results of standardized testing to assess the achievement of principals. Feedback from teachers appears to be a good way to assess the…

Recent concern about academic quality and costs has resulted in growing criticism of the transfer function of the community college. This criticism has arisen, in part, from the evaluations of university-based researchers who have argued that a very small percentage of community college students succeed in transferring to four-year institutions…

The article provides an overview of benefit cost analysis and its limitations and reviews the applications of benefit-cost analysis within vocational programs for persons with severe disabilities. Recommendations are made to assist state and program developers in choosing among program alternatives. (Author/DB)

This paper considers some of the similarities and differences between education and business in view of the fact that there are many who advocate that the public schools follow a business model in their operations. Salaries of executives in education, and superintendents in particular, tend to be lower than those of business executives, and their…

The article describes a model of clinical supervision for speech and hearing services. The model includes a continuum perspective to meet the individual needs of supervisees. A focus on the scientific nature of the supervisory process and an understanding of process components are important factors in model implementation. (Author/DB)

Defines self-formative evaluation as the formative evaluation of instructional materials conducted during the development of the product by its users or developers. Topics discussed include the results of a study that examined users' attitudes toward such evaluation, their ability to execute it, and the effects of training on that ability. (CLB)

Discusses problems in evaluating artistic ability, changing views on the appropriate content and methods for art education, and new research that reveals relationships between artistic and other intellectual abilities; briefly notes several studies on art programs for the gifted and talented. (MCG)

Discusses five ways in which school administrators can improve teacher evaluation practices: clarify the purpose of the evaluation; select substantive evaluation criteria that are related to learning outcomes; establish clear and reasonable standards; gather evaluation data from various sources; and prepare evaluation reports geared toward teacher…

Rather than being neutral, teacher education is grounded in a set a values that are culturally defined and politically transmitted. These values, and their political significance in terms of power and control issues, go far toward defining the educational experience that students and teachers, both in the schools and in universities, have.…

Defines productivity as the ratio of outputs to inputs. Describes ways of using productivity measures in comparing instructional approaches, program implementations, and longitudinal trends. Offers cautions about potential misinterpretations of productivity comparisons, using a hypothetical analysis of the productivity of four specific…