For most of U.S. history, local communities were the primary arbiters of school quality. Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, states began assuming more and more control over school standards and outcomes. The question we seek to answer is whether and the extent to which a particular kind of local voice--the voice of education practitioners--is…

This report represents a summary of findings from a research project to determine the availability of data concerning occupationally oriented training and education programs. Part I describes the types of data available regarding education and training programs--what information about which programs and providers is available from what source. It…

The Virginia Standards of Learning Program establishes a framework for instruction in the public schools and includes objectives that will help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes believed necessary for further education and employment. The Standards of Learning (SOL) Objectives for Library/Information Use are the result of a…

Designed to obtain information useful in developing state information dissemination systems, this study sought to determine the information gathering practices and needs of vocational educators and administrators. Insight into these practices and needs was accomplished through a questionnaire survey completed by 3,229 vocational-technical…

One of a series of sixteen knowledge transformation papers, this paper deals with the nature and extent of use of evaluative data by administrators in vocational education. First, the following conditions which govern the use of the data are described: availability, reliability, credibility, utility, and consistency. Since the legitimacy of most…

The utilization of state educational assessment information at local, state, and national levels for program evaluation, resource allocation, and research purposes is examined. The author creates a structure for researching, studying, and describing the outcomes of state assessment programs and illustrates each function with examples drawn from…

A study examined the extent to which Virginia Professional Development System (VPDS) components met practitioner needs and the degree to which they constituted an inquiry-based professional development system. Interviews with over 50 Virginia Institute for Lifelong Learning (VAILL) participants focused on their use of the Centers for Professional…

Seven pilot New York State Education Information Centers (EICs) were established in 1980 to provide comprehensive information referral and advisory services to adults and out-of-school youth on education, job, and career-related topics. The EICs are located in Brooklyn, Harlem, Hempstead, White Plains, Plattsburgh, Syracuse, and Jamestown. Last…