This article is third in a series of exemplary cases under the two current section editors. The first two cases (Brandon, Smith, Trenholm, & Devaney, 2010; Smith, Brandon, Lawton, & Krohn-Ching, 2010) profiled evaluations that had been designated as exemplary by professional associations. The present case profiles an evaluation organization:…

This descriptive study of the twenty regional Education Service Centers in Texas is an exploratory analysis of programs and services that promote school improvement. Data collected from each service center website enabled the researcher to determine which programs and services are available to school districts and also allowed the researcher to…

Academic departments and institutions are increasingly seeking professional advice through external reviews to enhance their curriculum, assess programs, develop research initiatives, and establish strategic plans. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) that has expanded its consulting program to provide a wider range of services that meet…

How the Learning Resources Center staff at Eastfield College (Texas) developed and implemented a simple yet effective system for ongoing evaluation. (HB)

This self-study and evaluation guide on orientation and mobility services is one of 28 guides designed for organizations undertaking a self-study as part of the process for accreditation from the National Accreditation Council (NAC) for agencies serving the blind and visually handicapped. Provided are lists of standards to be appraised by the…

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the National Board Certification Pilot Project in Iowa. Initiated in 1998, the Project provides monetary incentives for teacher certification, reimbursement for registration fees, and a support program for teachers pursuing certification. The effects of this program on teachers professional…

Discusses tax preparation and planning programs for microcomputers, including how programs save time and money, how they may or may not perform calculations accurately, how they compare to services offered by professional tax preparers, and the deduction of software costs. Ten tax programs are listed and described. (MBR)

Since all Agency for International Development (AID) projects require an evaluation component, AID's emphasis on assistance to agriculture and rural development projects ensures a continuing need for skilled and expert personnel to evaluate those projects. Intended for potential AID project evaluators, this guide uses experience gained from field…

The results of the experience of a Technical Assistance Center (TAC) for three months with a system for classifying and recording actual and planned tasks and activities are described and discussed. The area covered by this report includes 15 states in 3 geographic regions. Staff days planned and actually spent and trips planned and spent are…

Intended for individuals and/or agencies who provide or require evaluation services, this paper attempts to deal with the lack of standards and procedures for evaluation contracts. The first section of the report, Summary and Overview of Standards and Procedures for Evaluation Contracting, contains a brief discussion of the use of the proposed…

The basic thesis of the larger paper from which this condensation is drawn is that the use of evaluation contracts is advisable when evaluations are to be conducted by persons external to the institution responsible for the program to be evaluated (or, in larger institutions such as large universities, by persons external to the unit or department…

Also appears in "English Journal, vol. 59, no. 1 (January 1970), 134-38, as "NCTE/ERIC Summaries & Sources: Operation Evaluation . (RD)

Also appears in "Elementary English, vol. 47, no. 1 (January 1970), 22-6, as "NCTE/ERIC Operation Evaluation . (RD)

An editorial and two articles on quality control in evaluation are presented. Topics covered include definition and assessment of evaluation quality and development of standards for judging quality. Programs inspections activities of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services are discussed. (TJH)

Evidence is mounting that federal employees and their agents may have directed or even pressured states to choose specific assessments, consultants, and the criteria for evaluating core reading programs as conditions for getting funding under the Reading First initiative, possibly in violation of federal law. "Education Week" found such…