The purpose of this monograph is to lay the groundwork for developing a series of indicators for education that can be used to monitory progress in education projects, in country-specific education systems, in developmental spinoffs from investment in education, and in terms of poverty reduction. The first chapter sketches a conceptual framework…

In an attempt to include more students with disabilities in large-scale assessments, 12 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia) allowed out-of-level testing during the 2000-2001 school year. This report discusses the context of state assessment…

Alternate assessments provide a mechanism for students with complex disabilities to be included in assessment systems. An integral part of maximizing the benefits of assessing students is to include the results of alternate assessments in school accountability systems. This report addresses policy options for including the results of alternate…

This paper explores a new approach to the evaluation of educational technologies by using Eisner's connoisseurship model. This model has two essential features in program evaluation: holistic approach to the analysis and interpretation of data and multiple perspectives in the evaluative tasks (Eisner, 1998). Using Eisner's model, the key…

This document contains the distance learning evaluator training program of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), which is intended for the following audiences: institutions considering or actually undergoing reaccreditation; new accrediting commission evaluators; and trained evaluators. The following are among the topics covered in…

School-based outdoor and experiential programs face an increasing demand from outside interests for research-based accountability. This paper suggests that both research and practice are strengthened by researcher-practitioner partnerships and by practitioners conducting their own research. Three modest qualitative research designs are explored as…

This document contains five papers examining evaluation concepts and practice in selected distance education (DE) institutions. "Preface" (Harish Rathore, Rudolf Schuemer) defines evaluation in DE and provides an overview of the evaluation philosophies, agendas, and methodologies discussed in the five papers. "Evaluation Practices at the Indira…

Noting that multiage education continues to receive a great deal of interest as educators, legislators, and parents seek to find ways to improve educational experiences for all children, this book takes readers by the hand and guides them as they move from exploring the concept of multiage to the actual stages of implementation. As is consistent…

This report discusses alternate assessments that are to be used in accounting for the performance and progress of students with disabilities who do not participate in typical state assessments. Alternate assessments are data collection procedures used in place of the typical assessment when students cannot take standard forms of assessment. Four…

Designed for school administrators, policymakers, and others concerned about communications and education, this report first traces the ideas and political forces that led to establishment of the E-Rate. It then looks at the practical issues confronting school districts as they seek to seize the opportunities the E-Rate affords. After examining…

This paper asserts that rigorous research on the impacts of social programs to improve children's prospects are necessary but not sufficient, because too many programs are multidimensional, cannot or should not be standardized, evolve or adapt through time, require participants' active involvement, or are heavily dependent for success on good…

This paper reports on an evaluation of a unique 3-year program designed to support new teachers in a school district. The emphasis in the evaluation was on the participation of the multiple stakeholders in the evaluation process, which was endorsed by the teachers union, school district administrators, and entry-year teachers. The people who are…

This paper discusses students with disabilities who do not fit into large-scale traditional assessment systems, seeks to clarify what is meant by "gray areas of assessment," delineates the primary issues that surround and contribute to gray areas, and provides suggestions for developing fully inclusive systems. It provides brief case studies of…

Two articles are presented on the implementation of Reading Recovery in Maine. The first article, "Collaborative Efforts Can Make a Difference: The Development of Reading Recovery in Maine" articulates and shares the process which took place in Maine in the hope that it will assist interested stakeholders in other states in the…

This report from St. Louis Community College (Missouri) provides an update of the college's activities and outcomes in accordance with the North Central Association's (NCA) standards for institutional effectiveness. It also outlines the college's assessment operations for the next five years, identifying specific activities to develop the…