The nine articles of this theme issue provide overviews of legislative program evaluation and demonstrate the tensions caused by the conflict between utility and rigor in such evaluations. Legislative evaluation is concerned with evaluation utilization because legislators commission evaluations they expect to use. (SLD)

The events leading up to a controversial external evaluation in a small school district in Chicago are described from the client's viewpoint. Focus is on the community unrest and tension that shaped the evaluation contract. (TJH)

This article refers to two uses of the term "program theory": (1) microtheory to describe the model of the program; and (2) macrotheory which is concerned with factors that affect social change both within and outside programs. Barriers to successful utilization of evaluation and suggestions to overcome those barriers are discussed. (JAZ)

Six articles provide an overview of the multiple approaches to evaluating the problems of homelessness and introduce the challenges of evaluating interventions for the homeless. The first part focuses on research about homelessness, and the second part describes major demonstration programs and their evaluations. (SLD)