Background: The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is an independent charity that was established in 2011 with the explicit aim of breaking the link between family income and educational achievement in England. Over the seven years since its inception, EEF has contributed to the existing evidence base by funding over one hundred randomised…

The report of the national response to intervention (RTI) evaluation study, conducted during 2011-2012, was released in November 2015. Anyone who has read the lengthy report can attest to its complexity and the design used in the study. Both these factors can influence the interpretation of the results from this evaluation. In this commentary, we…

The use of educational technology in K-12 classrooms has been gaining tremendous momentum across the country since the 1990s. Many school districts have been investing heavily in various types of technology, such as computers, mobile devices, internet access, and interactive whiteboards. Almost all public schools have access to the internet and…

The present review examines research on the effects of technology use on reading achievement in K-12 classrooms. Unlike previous reviews, this review applies consistent inclusion standards to focus on studies that met high methodological standards. In addition, methodological and substantive features of the studies are investigated to examine the…

A rationale is presented for the systematic evaluation of gifted/talented education programs, citing the consequences of failure to carry out such evaluation. Historically, evaluation of gifted programs was not emphasized, as the evaluation process involved experimental designs, control groups, and parametric statistics which could only be…

This article discusses the difficulties in conducting intervention research or evaluating intervention programs in a school setting. In particular, the problems associated with randomization and obtaining control groups are examined. The use of quasi-experimental designs, specifically a paired comparison design using the individual as his or her…

One of 16 units designed for use in an Open University course on the education of handicapped students in the United Kingdom, this booklet analyzes the contribution of research to progress in special education and examines the relationship between empirical knowledge and moral principles in making educational decisions. An introductory section…

The review examines evaluations of the efficacy of special education programs for mildly disabled children. The author suggests that serious methodological flaws make our present knowledge in this area very weak and proposes a methodology to address and overcome many of the limitations of previous research. (Author)

In the form of a play, a brief discussion is presented of program evaluation problems at the elementary/secondary education level. (PN)

A study examining the evaluation components of merit pay programs in Illinois suggests that such components significantly influence a program's success or failure. Merit pay programs should incorporate evaluation systems tht emphasize their formal purpose, target variables related to effective teaching, and utilize sound data collection…

The paper reviews the state of the art in evaluation research of direct instruction projects with handicapped students. The first section delineates research designs used (including norm referenced comparisons, nonequivalent comparison groups, and quasi experimental designs); major findings; and problems with each. A distinction is made between…

Discussed in this paper are the problems of evaluation research on a program for disadvantaged youth in Israel. (Author/EB)

This paper describes the strategies used by the Research Department chief of the Cleveland (Ohio) Public Schools to restructure a department beset with staff cuts, district reorganization, and a demoralized staff. The reform movement for accountability is challenging school district research departments to provide timely, meaningful, objective…

As the number and scope of school-based clinics grow, interest in their evaluation increases. Evaluation of a comprehensive school-based clinic program in New York City revealed methodological issues in evaluation of these programs. The first issue involves program goals and objectives. Even before program implementation, the evaluator should…

The position is taken that the effectiveness of bilingual education programs has not been adequately researched or evaluated. The lack of appropriate critical, empirical, or longitudinal studies is attributed to several factors. (MH)