One phase of a five-phase professional improvement assessment project developed a database that identified the professional improvement needs of postsecondary technical/vocational personnel and the policies and procedures of the institutional plans for faculty development in Texas. Following a review of the literature, a questionnaire was prepared…

This study assessed the attitudes of three groups that participated in Upward Bound, a newly instituted academic advisory program at Tomball High School in Texas. It also provided a baseline of data to measure students' academic performance. The three groups, 300 high school freshmen, 115 of their parents, and 33 full time faculty, responded to…

In May 1993, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board formed the Task Force on Institutional Effectiveness (TFIE) to develop a state-level evaluation and continuous improvement plan for community and technical college (CTC) workforce education and academic programs. This report presents the plan for utilizing data collected on CTC's in three…

Vocational education programs for handicapped students in Texas were evaluated in order to make recommendations for improvement. Three objectives were proposed: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of training for entry-level knowledge and skills provided to handicapped students enrolled in vocational education for the handicapped (VEH) programs; (2)…

This report examines the practices of vocational education programs that serve limited English-proficient (LEP) students without the benefit of federal bilingual vocational training funds. Visits were made to seven areas of the United States with large numbers of LEP persons: South Florida, Southern California, Connecticut, Metropolitan New York,…

This report summarizes results of evaluations of the Texas Nutrition Education and Training (NET) Program activities completed during federal fiscal year 1989. In the evaluations, the number of individuals participating in NET activities was compared to preset goals to assess the degree of program goal attainment. The volume of materials…

This publication is designed to help Texas elementary and secondary educators evaluate and improve school library media programs in terms of planning, personnel, equipment, facilities, use of materials, and financial support. Following an introduction, the guide is divided into five sections. The first section, Library Media Center (LMC) Program,…

This report presents results of a performance review undertaken to develop recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the Windham School System (WSS) and educational programs in the four privately operated prison units in Texas. (WSS provides educational programs for inmates who do not possess a high school diploma.) Chapter 1 is an…

This handbook is intended to assist in the assessment and refinement of teacher preparation for industrial technology education in Texas. The first section contains preliminary information on the significance, development, and use of the guidebook. Provided next is an industrial technology teacher preparation assessment instrument that is based on…

A study was conducted of the early childhood programs in the McAllen (Texas) Independent School District. This qualitative study used data collected through observations, interviews, document analysis, questionnaires, and site visits. Current practices were described and compared to developmentally appropriate practices as defined by the National…

The activities and services delivered under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 by the Capital Area Education and Careers Partnership in Austin, Texas, during 1998 and 1999 were evaluated by an independent evaluator, using interviews with 24 persons involved in the project, site visits, and document analysis. The evaluation found that…

The challenge of producing the systemic changes that are needed to boost educational attainment and economic competitiveness across the country falls heavily on entities that coordinate public postsecondary institutions. Coordination of postsecondary education, whether of a single system of institutions or across an entire state, requires…

Accounting students are generally well aware of the skills, education, and accomplishments needed to get that first job and initially enter the accounting profession. However, it is equally important that accounting students approaching graduation have a good understanding of the skills, education and accomplishments required for an experienced…

The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a program evaluation conducted to examine the effectiveness of the Schools Attuned program in a north Texas school district. Schools Attuned was developed by a professor of pediatrics, Dr. Mel Levine (2002), as a professional development model to train teachers to identify cognitive and…

Researchers conducted case studies of Ninth Grade Success Initiative (NGSI) grants to gain a greater understanding of issues facing large numbers of at-risk students, many of whom, despite potentially receiving services as early as kindergarten, still reach ninth grade unprepared to succeed academically in high school. Case studies focused on NGSI…