After a discussion of the underutilization of cost analysis in education, this article offers several explanations for the relative scarcity of cost-based evaluations in education and considers the potential for greater use of such studies. Developing frameworks to unpack costs may be a way of bringing about greater use of cost-based evaluation.…

Describes how consultants, working with school personnel, can use an action research approach to implement a program of value-driven needs assessment. Presentation is focused on a collaborative consultation model of program evaluation. A case example illustrates the collaborative development of instruments for assessing the effectiveness of a…

Examines the theoretical and pragmatic objections to first-year composition courses raised by recent abolitionists who are composition insiders. Assesses four frequently proposed alternative models of first-year composition. Discusses evaluating these alternatives from the perspective of a writing program administrator's dual roles of curriculum…

Posits that prior to designing and implementing any programmatic initiative, the programmer must consider the assessment of individual and group needs as well as environmental or cultural dimensions. Outlines models of program planning and program assessment skills needed by student affairs administrators. Discusses collecting assessment data,…

Evaluated 30 Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) projects in Ontario, Canada. CAPC is a Canadian federal government initiative that funds community groups in activities supporting child development and strengthening families. Identified categories of program activities and project outcomes, and found that most projects have adopted…

Describes the conceptual design, research framework, evaluation components, and analytic strategies that are guiding the evaluation of a demonstration-research effort, the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST). The ASSIST evaluation is a unique analysis of the relationships among social context, public-health activity, tobacco use, and…

Australia's national training packages may result in poorer student learning outcomes and may threaten credit transfer between vocational education and training and higher education. The national training packages are not good models for other countries and the policy needs to be reviewed. (Contains 26 references.) (JOW)

Some of the present approaches for studying adventure education are based on grounded theory, folk pedagogies, and existing social science theory. These approaches share some problems, including: (a) an overemphasis on outcomes without specifying processes, (b) a misunderstanding of how different types of evaluation contribute to theory, and (c)…

Although there has been a rapid increase in funding and attention to after-school programs, there is little understanding of how after-school programs impact children's developmental trajectories. The heterogeneity of American children makes it very unlikely that all children need after-school programming or that there is but one brand of…

This article describes the replication efforts of five programs funded by the Pritzker Early Childhood Foundation and determines what methods are key to replication success. Before replication can take place, the lead agency must have substantial evidence of its effectiveness and know its core elements. It must also think carefully about how its…

Project FUTURE is one component of a multifaceted approach in the Northwest Texas region to target Hispanic and African-American youth, encouraging them to go through school with a desire to complete education programs leading to professional credentialing in teaching. Project FUTURE inspires students to believe that they can attend Texas Tech…

This paper examines the impact of vouchers in general and voucher design in particular on public school performance. It argues that all voucher programs are not created equal. There are often fundamental differences in voucher designs that affect public school incentives differently and induce different responses from them. It analyzes two voucher…

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) "Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2005-09" (the "Plan") provides an agenda for achieving advancements in applied rehabilitation research that will benefit people with disabilities in the United States. This executive summary describes the purposes and…

In this second volume of "The Soul of Educational Leadership" series, editors Paul D. Houston, Alan M. Blankstein, and Robert W. Cole offer creative perspectives on the challenges of reframing leadership practice. Presenting key strategies from leadership experts such as Thomas Sergiovanni and Dennis Sparks, this compact resource combines…

This study examined the effectiveness of a new counseling practicum training model which was developed as part of a Professional Development School (PDS) program. Unlike the traditional counseling practicum, the university instructor and graduate students worked together in an elementary school setting for one day a week. All supervision was…