A random sample of over 13,000 students participating in 4 of Minnesota's school choice programs during the 1989-90 school year were surveyed in 4 areas: (1) background and family participation; (2) reasons for participating and decision making; (3) sources for program information; and (4) satisfaction/expectations. The survey was performed to…

This evaluation report describes a program designed to reduce substance abuse among students by establishing a comprehensive peer program in the middle schools (grades 6 through 8). The background of the project is reviewed, five important aspects of a peer helper program are listed, and three intervention strategies of peer assistance programs…

The position statements on curriculum, evaluation, teaching, leadership, staff development, equity for under-represented groups, and the effective use of technology issued by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) in the "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics" (1989) and "Professional Standards…

This content assessment project is designed to determine what social studies content should be tested on national standardized tests and how that content should be defined. Sixteen historians, political scientists, and social studies educators were interviewed to identify key concepts. In a second phase, the cultural literacy rationale for content…

The purpose of this study was to follow up two previous studies on the vocational rehabilitation needs of American Indians with disabilities and the effectiveness of projects authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title 1, Part D, Section 130 to meet those needs. A self-evaluative questionnaire was developed and mailed to the project…

Results of the 1990-91 product evaluation of the Saginaw, Michigan School District's state-funded prekindergarten program are reported. In 1990-91, the program served 285 pupils enrolled at 8 sites. The purpose of the program is to provide at-risk 4-year-olds with an environment that will enable them to develop school readiness skills. The…

In order to gather current data about the General Educational Development (GED) program at Seminole Community College (SCC), Florida, a random sample of 1982 GED examinees were surveyed to determine the examinees' assessment of the quality of instruction, course materials, and learning laboratories at SCC; the center(s) used most often and for…

The purpose of this document is to share various approaches used by federal agencies to assess needs and measure training effectiveness. The emphasis in the descriptions is on the evaluation process rather than on the results. One program was evaluated by employing return-on-investment (ROI) data and using volunteer line personnel who conducted…

In 1989, Salem Community College (SCC) developed a Business Training Center (BTC) to enhance and/or develop significant partnerships with high schools and business and industry. Through the Center, SCC implemented programs of study and shared services and/or externships with the DuPont Company and three local high schools. The partnership with…

One of a series of 127 performance-based teacher education modules, this document teaches how to conduct a community survey. The modules are based on competencies identified and verified through research as being important to successful vocational teaching at the secondary and postsecondary levels. In addition, they have been found useful in the…

This report supplements the final evaluation of the State Dissemination Grants Program (SDGP), a major initiative within the mission of the National Institute of Education to assist state educational agencies in implementing, strengthening, and institutionalizing dissemination services that improve educational practice and equity. A substudy was…

This study investigated the construct of effectiveness as it applies to public libraries and developed a methodology that can be transferred to other types of libraries and organizations. The research team began by compiling a list of indicators that are commonly used to gauge library effectiveness within the areas of: (1) services access; (2)…

This guide was developed for the Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) Pacific Region science coordinator, elementary school principals, and teachers to serve as an aid in identifying strengths and weaknesses of science programs in grades K-6. It was also designed to serve as a workbook for the science coordinator to use during school…

The Legal Education Goals and Learning (LEGAL) project in the Dade County Public Schools, Florida, is an elective course for students in grades 7-12. Because extensive annual evaluations of this project since 1976 had been extremely favorable, the size and scope of the 1984-85 evaluation was reduced. It investigated the extent to which LEGAL…

The research described in this report was conducted to (1) ascertain employers' perceptions of how well the telecommunications technology program at Skyline College (California) meets their needs; (2) determine what advanced-skills training would benefit students; and (3) provide a model for an employer follow-up study. Employers' names were…