Multi-site randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide unbiased estimates of the average impact in the study sample. However, their ability to accurately predict the impact for individual sites outside the study sample, to inform local policy decisions, is largely unknown. To extend prior research on this question, we analyzed six multi-site RCTs…

The PISA project has steadily increased its influence on the educational discourse and educational policies in the now 70 participating countries. The educational debate has become global, and the race to improve PISA-rankings has become high priority in many countries. For governments the PISA-test is a high-stake test. Governments are blamed for…

This paper discusses the three hypothetical market baskets of goods and services for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes annual cost estimates. This program is referred to as the standard budgets or family budget program. The family budget program provides: 1) estimates of budget levels originally constructed to represent standards of…

In this paper, problems with testing as a method of educational evaluation are discussed and suggestions are made to schools with respect to strategies for more effective evaluation procedures. Various evaluation processes, their uses, and their limitations, are described. (WI)

The National Food and Agriculture Council of the Philippines regularly requires rapid feedback data for analysis, which will assist in monitoring programs to improve and increase the production of selected crops by small scale farmers. Since many other development programs in various subject matter areas also require similar statistical…

Shifting to results-based accountability is a difficult stage in reforming family and children's services. Heretofore, these services have been more concerned with the number of clients seen or papers processed than in their clients' quality of life. This document should help communities find the data they need to measure qualitative outcomes. It…

As resources become more constrained in the library community, many organizations are finding that they need to have a better understanding of their costs. To this end, this article will present one approach to conducting a cost analysis (including questions to ask yourself, project team makeup, organizational support, and data organization). We…