Drawing on data collected during an evaluation of Indiana schools receiving Title I 1003(g) School Improvement Fund grants in the 2008-2009 school year, this article explores how professional development can be used to support school improvement efforts. This article upholds the conclusion that when activities support the development of a…

Despite the growing volume of research on data use systems or data use activities in which teachers engage, micro-process studies--investigations of what teachers and others actually do under the broad banner of "data use" or "evidence-based decision making"--remain substantially underdeveloped. Starting with a review of the…

Although data driven-decision making has been the mantra of school reform for the last 10 years, school leaders benefit from frequent discussions in how to engage teachers in the process. As a result, the purpose of this paper is to apply Reeves' (2004) framework concerning Antecedents of Excellence in creating a school culture that routinely uses…

The Canadian Evaluation Society explored the benefits that can be attributed to program evaluation, the outputs necessary to achieve those benefits, and the knowledge and skills needed to produce outputs. Findings, which articulate benefits, outputs, and skills, can be used by evaluation organizations to support advocacy and professional…

How managers develop following their individual assessment is explored, examining links between steps in the development process, and testing several hypotheses about the relationships between environmental characteristics and individual development. A framework proposed by L. W. Hellervik, J. F. Hazucha, and R. J. Schneider (1992) suggests that…

This document outlines the Western Assessment Collaborative's (WAC) approach to evaluation and the design for examining the progress and impact of Kyosei (spirit of cooperation), a multiyear partnership with 10 schools and 4 districts that engages participants in a set of integrated, research-based professional development strategies. The text…

A decision-making model is presented that captures the evaluation function of teaching and brings it into focus for teacher use. The model depicts teachers as decision makers in their various roles and identifies planning, implementation, and evaluation as three major functions of teaching. (SLD)

This resource examines the role of the central office in improving instruction and therefore improving student achievement. Mac Iver and Farley-Ripple provide a comprehensive review of the available research (since the 1970s) on the role of the central office in student achievement. First, they review the research chronologically, and then by…

This paper presents one possible approach to the formative evaluation of a Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP). The approach was applied to a National Science Foundation TEP designed to enhance teachers' knowledge and use of performance assessment technology. The study demonstrates the applicability of the approach to formative evaluation and…

Ways and means of evaluating a teaching program, as distinct from making assessments or measurements of student achievement, are suggested. Achieving a structured, integrated, but holistic evaluation of the performance of teachers and classes throughout the year should be a goal. Emphasis is on teacher evaluation in Australia. (SLD)

This paper describes efforts to design an evaluation system that has as its primary objective helping schools effect positive change through the Accelerated Schools Project. Three characteristics were deemed essential: (1) that the evaluation be useful and meaningful; (2) that it be sensitive to local conditions; and (3) that evaluations of…

In this article, two problems associated with the expectation that teachers use contemporary assessment techniques are examined. The first problem relates to teachers' sense-making of assessment data. Illustrative cases revealed that teachers' processes of interpretation of students' understanding, knowledge and learning of mathematics draws on a…

The legitimate uses of new instruments for the selection and appraisal of principals, factors influencing use of these instruments, and safeguards to minimize misuse are discussed. Performance appraisal systems in education have been used legitimately to ensure that principals meet minimum performance standards, and for promotion. Another valuable…

A concise overview is provided of the history of evaluation, focusing on educational evaluation, followed by some observations on program evaluation in Spain and possible future developments. Evaluation was a new concept in Spain at the end of the Franco era, at a time when its development was beginning to gain momentum in the United States. The…

A four-step procedure is described for using evaluation to contribute to the knowledge that intake staff need to assign clients to treatment programs. The procedure is illustrated with data from the evaluation of a professional development program delivered to 35 teacher consultants in Ontario (Canada). (SLD)