More than a decade ago, Michael Lewis penned the influential book "Moneyball." An examination of how Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane used data to make his franchise competitive with wealthier baseball teams, the book struck a chord. Beane's strategy of making decisions based on data had a powerful and positive impact on the…

The authors analyse the reasons for Croatian higher education reform since 2003, as well as its consequences. The main proposition of the paper is that the implementation of the Bologna Process in Croatia has failed due to a fundamental misunderstanding of the goals of the process, a lack of correspondence between the cycles of higher education…

The purpose of this guide is to help chronically struggling schools restructure. "Restructuring" means major, rapid changes that affect how a school is led and how instruction is delivered. Restructuring is essential in achieving rapid improvements in student learning. The focus is on helping education leaders choose strategies that…

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in…

Bills passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in spring 2001 to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reinforce and strengthen the education accountability provisions contained in the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA) of 1994. This paper evaluates the accountability provisions in this…

This paper examines the study plan for the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) and outlines some of the preliminary results that have been determined to date. According to the paper, the NAVE has identified five broad areas in which to conduct research: (1) implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act; (2)…

The central purpose of this paper is to describe the origins, assumptions, approaches, and problems of the major evaluation efforts relating to vocational education specified in the Educational Amendments of 1976. The first of five chapters provides background information on vocational education, evaluation, and the Education Amendments of 1976.…

Although the evaluation of Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I programs was mandated with its passage in 1965, the emphasis on evaluation increased in 1974 with the incorporation of Section 151. That section was redesignated in 1978 as Section 183. Section 183 included the directive that evaluations be conducted every third year, to…

The history of the efforts of the U.S. Congress to obtain evaluation data and reports for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I, projects is one of delay and frustration. Prior to the 1974 amendments to the ESEA, evaluation was negligible, not clearly defined, and not comparable across school districts. The Education Amendments of…

Difficulties experienced by colleges with the regulations and policies of the Veterans Administration regarding the eligibility of veterans for educational benefits are discussed. Especially problematic are the "standards of progress" and "seat time" regulations. A study undertaken to examine the problem has not produced any…

This guide was prepared by the Marin County Private Industry Council (PIC) to evaluate the nature, operation, and success of various training programs. Programs that can be evaluated with the procedures in this guide range from pre-employment or prevocational preparatory courses to specific employee skill education activities of all kinds that…

The evolution of congressional support for educational programs and the impact of the present trend toward financial restraint are reviewed. Research, evaluation, and policy studies will help influence future decisions, although other factors such as the economy and interest group pressures will affect support. (MH)

This report presents an evaluation of the Federal Interagency Day Care Requirements (FIDCR) conducted by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The evaluation focuses on the appropriateness of the requirements for federally supported day care programs authorized by Title XX of the Social Security Act. The first chapter of the report…

This report concerns evaluation of federally supported educational programs at the national, state, and local levels. It was undertaken in response to Section 1526 of the Education Amendments of 1978, which requires that the Commissioner of Education conduct a comprehensive study of evaluation practices and procedures. Two broad sources of…

Implications for colleges and universities of a proposed new audit guide for Office of Management and the Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 are considered. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is considering issuance of an audit guide that will outline procedures to be followed to comply with the audit requirement in Circular A-110. With…