Early childhood stakeholders in state departments of education are interested in knowing what child assessment measures are being used in state-funded pre-kindergarten and in kindergarten classrooms. To address this need, the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) performed a secondary analysis of data in the National Institute for…

Data have long been considered a key factor in organizational decision-making (Simon, 1955; Lindblom & Cohen, 1979). Data offer perspective, guidance, and insights that inform policy and practice (Newell & Simon, 1972; Kennedy, 1984). Recently, education policymakers have invested in the use of data for organizational improvement in states…

Asserts that collecting assessment data from students is key to shaping effective instruction. Both informal and formal data about student learning not only shape instruction but also determine its effectiveness. Contends that continuous assessment that drives curriculum is a means of enhancing student and teacher performance. (Contains seven…

With accurate information, educators are better able to make effective decisions. Besides being used to assess student performance, a complete program of data collection and use can also show educators how management skills, individual learning styles, and other elements affect student achievement. This digest provides an overview of how…

With accurate information, educators are better able to make effective decisions. Besides being used to assess student performance, a complete program of data collection and use can also show educators how management skills, individual learning styles, and other elements affect student achievement. This digest in Spanish provides an overview of…

The progress made by 24 League of Professional Schools in increasing the variety, collection, and use of data during 1990-91 is examined in this paper. Three goals of the league are to involve schools in action research for school improvement, increase teacher participation through shared governance, and develop school improvement initiatives.…

This handbook was designed to help school leaders develop a system of collaborative assessment, strategic planning, and accountability in schools and districts. It offers practical guidelines to help solve three problems central to school leadership: (1) determining a vision; (2) identifying areas requiring change; and (3) demonstrating…

The initiatives taken by one school district to support professional development for principals in using data for school planning and reform were studied. A data-planning training model was developed in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) (California) to build skills principals need to read, interpret, and use multiple sources of…

This paper focuses on the mechanics of assessing the impact of educational technology. The basics of program evaluation, research design, data collection and analysis, and report generation are covered to provide useful information to those responsible for program evaluation research and to decision makers, who are the usual recipients of…

Means of fostering utilization of educational evaluations are reviewed. Four ongoing educational evaluation programs were examined: (1) Florida Summer Institute Program; (2) Chapter I Reading Microcomputer Component; (3) Elementary Academically Gifted Program; and (4) Laboratory for Individualized Foundation Teaching. The addition of one factor…

This essay focuses on a key change that the author has experienced in the practice of program evaluation research over the past 20 years: the accommodation of the logic of science and the psychology of politics. This change has substantially altered the role of the evaluator, the evaluator's relationship with clients, the design of an evaluation…

In response to the legislative mandate and the increasing need for timely and high-quality data by policymakers at various levels, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has initiated a number of actions, programs, and surveys to improve the amount and quality of education information. To improve the relevance of data, the NCES has…

Data from nine Michigan elementary, middle, and high schools highlight the challenges and common strategies found in the use of student assessment data to meet public demands for accountability. The information gathered from assessment tools varies by frequency and type. Educators have, historically, underutilized data to guide practice because…

The purpose of this document is to give state directors of special education, especially those who are new in their positions, a guide to understanding their role and responsibilities with respect to the collection, analysis and reporting of post-school outcomes data for Indicator 14 of the Part B State Performance Plan (SPP). To assist state…

In 1981, the developers of a school-based change effort engaged researchers to conduct an evaluation study employing qualitative methodology that would provide the developers with information that could be used to improve the program. Resource constraints, short timelines, and the developers' preference for useable information encouraged…