The Holtzman Project at Northwestern University reviewed educational program evaluations at the federal, state, and local levels of government. This paper focuses on the administration of the project, including constraints on its operations, the strategic decisions that seemed correct at the time, and some decisions that now seem wrong. (BW)

Eight papers outline the nature of the present federally funded effort to improve the evaluation data gathered by programs for the transition of handicapped adolescents to higher education or work. Evaluation research, program evaluation flexibility, and professional standards are considered. Two other evaluation studies consider international…

The education evaluation efforts of the federal government are discussed, focusing on the question of their effectiveness in informing the policymaking process. Successful evaluation criteria are outlined. An evaluation must provide useful information to policymakers to be a success. (DWH)

A Peace Corps evaluator describes ways of improving utilization of evaluation results. Focus is on structural/organizational changes to facilitate knowledge and researcher use. Methods for use within and outside agencies; agency decision makers as end users; and the importance of context, as opposed to philosophy or methodology, are discussed.…

The Chapter 1 compensatory education program and the results of the Title 1 Sustaining Effects Study are discussed. Topics include within-case ability grouping and student achievement, quality and quantity of instruction, teacher expectations, labelling of participants, peer influences, and program eligibility criteria. (TJH)

The effectiveness of federally sponsored curricular materials--ORIGINS (for 10- to 16-year-old students) and SMILE (for 5- to 7-year-old students)--designed to teach English to non-native English speakers within the Australian school system was studied. Results of the multimethod assessment indicate that the centrally produced materials were…

Three methods for evaluating a nationwide audiovisual instruction program for preservice and in-service teachers in Germany will be implemented: (1) a questionnaire on teacher attitudes toward the media packages; (2) a case study of teachers working with the media during the program; and (3) intensive group discussions on program applications. (CP)