Career and technical education (CTE) programs of study are subject to rigorous state and federal accountability systems that provide information on key student outcomes. However, while these outcome measures can form a basis for identifying high- and low-performing programs, they are insufficient for answering underlying questions about how or why…

Inclusive education is a global phenomenon expressed differently in various countries, and different contextual realities support or constrain the process of making education more inclusive. This column reports on an international conference on inclusive education in Johannesburg, South Africa, which provided the opportunity for delegates to share…

In this "Fast Facts," a state requested information on supporting districts' use of effective models and approaches to improve children's early literacy and numeracy outcomes. In response, Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) staff reviewed key research including information from the What Works Clearinghouse obtained by…

Afterschool programs have been operating for decades in communities across the country, and federal investment in afterschool has increased dramatically since the mid-1990s. However, even more investment in the field of afterschool, which includes before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs, is needed to keep up with the growing…

This report summarizes the complex research literature on quantitative methods for assessing how impacts of educational interventions on instructional practices and student learning differ across students, educators, and schools. It also provides technical guidance about the use and interpretation of these methods. The research topics addressed…

This paper synthesizes the existing literature on stakeholder involvement in program evaluation, drawing a basic distinction between deep involvement of a few versus less active involvement of a broad range of stakeholders. The paper then comments on the case studies described in this special issue and integrates them with previously published…

Between 2004 and 2008, the Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) published four lengthy research reports on projects to examine the nature and effectiveness of Adult Education English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs at several community colleges. The research was conducted by field studies, interviews, and the review of a large…

Recovery of significant achievements by exemplary individuals and institutions in public education and librarianship informs our present understanding and motivates future efforts. This narrative history recounts some of the struggles and successes of a great city library when the very conception of a free, public library was still being defined.…

Reviews literature on processes in conference planning and evaluation and reflects on the roles and tasks of facilitators at the thirtieth conference of the Australian Association of Adult and Community Education. (SK)

A conceptual framework for considering the costs and benefits of postsecondary education assessment is presented, along with a typology linking the costs of evaluation to their informational benefits. A number of cost-analysis paradigms and techniques for assessing alternative evaluation projects at the institutional level are also examined. The…

Evaluations of the Botswana National Literacy Program (BNLP) are reviewed, with emphasis on one internal and one external evaluation. The BNLP may be one of the most extensively evaluated national literacy programs ever conducted, with a program staff intensively trained in evaluation. One lesson of the repeated evaluations of the BNLP is that a…

Effective staff development for educators is ongoing and intensive; consequently, school districts are heeding this research and engaging in long-term contracts with technical assistance providers. Rural districts need external support provided by partnerships and need such assistance to meet state and community performance expectations. The…

Describes and presents evaluation evidence of a long-term clinical supervision program for school counselors. Results show that peer group clinical supervision of school counselors is a feasible route to enhanced perceptions of professionalism. Participants viewed their peer group clinical supervision program to be a worthwhile and valuable…

Various strategies for optimizing the use of program evaluation information are recommended, based on a thorough evaluation of the literature. The recently revised "Program Evaluation Standards" (Joint Committee, 1994) are then reviewed point by point as regards sensitivity to these recommendations. It appears that the new standards…

The author describes the preparation, delivery, and evaluation of five teleconferencing sessions and draws out the lessons learned. She relates the findings to the literature on the topic. (JOW)