Describes a method that uses program participants' compliance with program instructions as a means of classifying participants and in that way obtains a randomized control group for a subset of participants. Illustrates two variations of the method through a large smoking-intervention project. (SLD)

Examines the problem of attrition from therapeutic treatment programs, discussing the scope and limitations of research about the causes of subject attrition. Examines the applicability of proposed methodological remedies for assessing and countering attrition. Such research often suffers from inadequate conceptualization and weak design. (SLD)

Presents an evaluation/development method for achieving customer-driven improvement in organizations. Describes the steps to external and internal "mirror analysis," a process for determining if the organization functions as a mirror of customers' needs and expectations. Twelve figures illustrate factors in the process. (AEF)

Reflects on the application of peer coaching to the reference environment, suggests strategies for implementation, and relates peer coaching to the evaluation of reference effectiveness. Discusses behaviors specific to the reference interview and evaluating how well users are served. (Author/LRW)

Introduces the Outcome-Asset Impact Model, a tool that combines elements of client-centered outcomes and asset orientations with a systems approach. The application of this model to the evaluation of program interventions is illustrated through three case studies: (1) a multiple objective urban revitalization initiative; (2) an early intervention…

Over the last two decades, considerable attention has been devoted to the potential of functional assessment and antecedent-based interventions, as well as to the importance of ecological validity in the evaluation of intervention practices. However, despite this increased interest, it is not clear to what degree trends in intervention research…

The authors present the findings of an evaluation of the residential environmental education program offered by the New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC). Sixth-grade students (n = 419) from a large, central New Jersey school district participated in a 4-day/3-night experience. The Children's Attitudes Toward the Environment Scale (L. M.…

As the strategic commitment to customer orientation has penetrated all aspects of corporate life, including business education, various publications (e.g., "Business Week") increasingly have been conducting polls that rank schools on criteria that include evaluations by their former students. These student evaluations reflect certain objective…

In this brief article, the author responds to Brown and Trusty's assertion that based on the deficiencies of existing comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) research, school counselors need not focus their time and effort on showing causal connections between their programs and measures of student academic achievement. Rather than…

When STARS reform efforts were launched in 2000, teacher training in assessment was seen as crucial to the success of the program. The STARS reform efforts focus on both supporting the implementation of quality classroom assessment practices and implementing a district-based accountability system. The training programs described in this article…

Recent implementation of Nebraska's Standards-based Teacher-led Assessment and Reporting System (STARS) introduced a unique opportunity to examine the benefits and drawbacks of a teacher-led state assessment system. STARS is unique among state assessment systems in that statewide tests are replaced by locally developed assessments designed by…

Can this evaluation be saved? More precisely, can this evaluation be saved in such a way that both evaluator and client feel satisfied that their points of view were respected and both agree that the evaluation itself provides valid information obtained in a principled manner? Because the scenario describes a preliminary discussion and no contract…

A critical, but often neglected, component of any large-scale assessment program is the reporting of test results. In the past decade, a body of evidence has been compiled that raises concerns over the ways in which these results are reported to and understood by their intended audiences. In this study, current approaches for reporting…

In a climate of growing accountability for Higher Education, there is an increased demand on assessment to play an evaluative role. National, professional and institutional quality assurance systems expect that the assessment of student performance can be used to evaluate the quality of teachers, learners, programmes and even institutions for the…

Proposes a methodology for analyzing the impacts of social programs on previously unexamined subgroups. The approach estimates the impact of programs on subgroups identified by a postreatment choice while maintaining the integrity of the experimental research design. (SLD)