Evaluations that use imperfect information run into both analytical and political problems. Educational accountability systems based on achievement scores are an instance. Such systems frequently turn out to be irrelevant to policy decisions, resisted by educational interest groups that fear unflattering comparisons and the misuse of results, and…

The pamphlets included in this volume are technical reports prepared as outgrowths of the Student Information Systems of the Western Nevada Regional Education Center (WN-REC) funded by a Title III (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) grant. These reports describe methods of interpreting the printouts from the Student Information System;…

The results from high-stakes assessments have often been used to merely grade and rank schools and students. But a new trend is emerging, according to this brief. Educators are beginning to see the power of using assessment data to improve instruction. This brief discusses ways to use data to improve instruction at the school, classroom, and…

The School-based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) provides a one-stop location or center accessible to teens within or close to the public school. It is designed to help at-risk students by coordinating services between the community and the school, with the goal of keeping students in school and helping them gain skills that lead to employment,…