This guidance is intended for the planning stage of trials -- in particular, trials for which the primary outcome measure being considered is attainment at GCSE (and in particular, GCSE English Language and Mathematics). However, it is generalisable to any other graded qualification or assessment used as an outcome measure, i.e. A-levels. It is…

As states, districts, and schools transition toward more rigorous educator evaluation systems, they are placing additional weight on judgments about educator practice. Since teacher and principal observation ratings inherently rely on evaluators' professional judgment, there is always a question of how much the ratings depend on the particular…

This article describes the on-going evaluation of a pilot program characterized by: (1) cooperation between program managers and evaluators; (2) first-hand knowledge about the implementation of the pilot; and (3) a focus on summative and formative evaluations. Evaluators participated actively in the design of the pilot. (Author/SLD)

Although a necessary component of good program management and accountability, monitoring data do not usually provide answers to questions about whether, how, and why a specific program works. More in-depth, systematic inquiry is needed to do this. In this article, the authors focus on the evaluation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-prevention…

Classroom teachers have the best possible vantage point for constructing locally appropriate surveys and tests; the fact is, however, that teachers tend to rely on nationally mass-produced and marketed test packages. The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure for developing and refining teacher-made surveys and tests, which would be valid…

The Assessment Development Laboratory for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is developing a certification process with the three components of school site documentation, a content knowledge examination, and assessment center exercises. Activities involved in the development of the exercises and their scoring are described. The…