Is there democratic accountability to the public at the local level, and if so, how does it work? We know that a major part of democratic ability depends on citizens being able to properly evaluate government based on government performance, particularly at the local level. However, we know much less about all of the potential pathways to get from…

The purpose of the "Drivers Best Practices Assessment" ("DBPA") is to assist organizations in assessing their current supports and resources for quality use of selected programs or practices. Specifically, organizations can use it to: (1) Identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in their current supports and…

This qualitative study identified the best practices utilized by community colleges to achieve systemic and cultural agreement in support of the integration of institutional effectiveness measures (key performance indicators) to inform decision making. In addition, the study identifies the relevant motives, organizational structure, and processes…

The conceptual categories that underlie the business analysis of intellectual capital are relevant to providing an explanation of school performance. By gathering data on student learning, this research provides empirical evidence for the use of school results as an accurate indicator of the effectiveness of the management of public education.…

The editor lists 10 points which form the basis of some recommendations for those conducting studies that measure effectiveness. The criteria are a consensus of ideas presented by the authors in this volume. (Author/DWH)

Program reviews became widely used as quality assurance activities in the United States beginning in the 1970s. Since then, they have evolved as an essential component in demonstrating institutional effectiveness to accrediting bodies. The paper discusses various approaches to reviews with a focus on a recently reengineered institutional program…

A major research university's recently developed process for systematic evaluation of nonacademic units is described, and the steps in its development and implementation are outlined: review of literature on organizational effectiveness; survey of peer institutions; development of guidelines for review; and implementation in several campus units.…

The goal model is appropriate for evaluating effectiveness in complex service organizations because there are measurable outputs. An empirical method is provided for the identification and measurement of organizational goals. Perception of effectiveness could be improved if goals were made to coincide with the desires of user groups. (DWH)

A critique of a program evaluation technique called the evaluability assessment model (EAM), this paper describes the technique and its use in evaluating a federal agency. As defined here, EAM is divided into several steps. In the first step, the program description is reviewed to determine whether it is well-enough conceived to be a basis for…

Recently, hospital services and the medical profession in general have become the focus of public dissatisfaction. This speech advocates the implementation of an aggressive public relations program, in order to restore credibility to the health services. Specifically, independent audits of hospital public relations networks and products are…

Discussion of the accountability of university libraries and assessment methods to show library effectiveness focuses on two assessment tools developed at Bowling Green State University: one program-level assessment which involved a student library skills assessment survey; and one class-level assessment which involved one-shot library instruction…

The assessment of 12 model evaluation systems provides insight and guidance into their development for government managers and evaluators. The eight individual completed grants are documented in a series of case studies, while the synthesis of all the project experiences and results are summarized. There are things that evaluation systems can do…

Although economic analysis is complicated and has limitations, it is a workable method capable of producing a great deal of information about the value of early interventions. Procedures for conducting a cost analysis, cost-benefit analysis, or cost-effectiveness analysis are outlined, along with a review of the approach's advantages and…

This report describes a study of 23 community-based child advocacy projects, located in 14 states and 20 cities, and outlines a strategy for evaluating such projects. Data on each project's history, development, and current activities were obtained. Data were analyzed to (1) determine how such projects are started and become operational, (2)…

Professional development has moved from the periphery of teachers' professional lives to center stage, clearly recognized today as one of the key factors that shape teachers' ability to reach and teach all students successfully. To be effective, any professional development program must pay close attention to changes in teacher classroom…