Effective, efficient, and sustainable ID/DD organizations: are they possible in today's world of dwindling resources and mounting demands for more and better services? Yes--with the practical tools and strategies in this lifeline for ID/DD leaders. Developed by two of the most trusted authorities in the disability field, this innovative business…

Achieving the Dream colleges engage in a process of institutional improvement to increase student success. A central component of this process is engaging internal and external stakeholders to help develop and implement interventions or changes in programs and services that improve student success. To determine whether these interventions do…

In order to assess how completely a Small Learning Community (SLC) and/or Career Academy is implemented in any given site, and to connect the degree of implementation with the amount of improvement in student performance, two kinds of information are needed. The first is information on the quality of implementation, which can be collected by…

Criticism is the art of disclosing the qualities of events or objects the connoisseur perceives. Criticism is not negative appraisal, nor a list of unfavorable judgements; its essence is illumination. The key characteristics of criticism used as an evaluation method are: (1) inherent subjectivity; (2) reliance on the perception of the critic (its…

This is one of a set of five handbooks compiled by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory which describes the processes for planning and operating a total Experience-Based Career Education (EBCE) program. Processes and material are those developed by the original EBCE model--Community Experiences in Career Education or (CE)2. The area of…

Intended for gifted program coordinators, the booklet (in draft form) contains information on the relationship of evaluation to program development and the process steps in program evaluation. Topics examined include decision questions in gifted program evaluation, sample evaluation designs, and process measurement. Approximately one-half of the…

Both evaluators and storytellers pull together the events they hear and see; they create unified, coherent entities out of the parts they gather. This guide considers two levels at which the understanding of the nature and methods of narrative writing, or storytelling, can be of use to the evaluator. The highest level is to use the notion of…

POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND REGULATIONS WHICH APPLY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL PROGRAMS IN WISCONSIN ARE PRESENTED. THE DOCUMENT SHOULD BE USEFUL IN PROGRAM PLANNING AND FOR THE ORIENTATION OF STAFF, BOARD, COMMITTEES, AND THE COMMUNITY. MAJOR DIVISIONS ARE (1) GENERAL INFORMATION WHICH INCLUDES PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES, AN DEVELOPMENT OF A…

The choice of methods is part of the overall evaluation design process. The process consists of the following steps: (1) analyzing the problem context; (2) asking a few general questions; (3) selecting the methods (strategies) to use; and (4) selecting the specific techniques (tactics) to use. To operate successfully the evaluator needs to know…

The identification, validation, dissemination (IVD) process represents a quality control effort whose ultimate purpose is to validate and disseminate projects of proven educational quality and significance. The IVD and the Joint Dissemination Review Panel (JDRP) processes are complementary, although their procedures and criteria are distinct. JDRP…

In efforts at improving the quality of education and at justifying expenditures for compensatory education and school desegregation, we are increasingly dependent upon the data of evaluative research. Yet the data from many of these evaluation efforts conducted over the past 12 years are confused and inconclusive. In an effort at gaining a better…

This manual is a guide for the training supervisor, specialist, or other official who has to plan, develop, and carry through a training program for improving the effectiveness of the employee development program, particularly in a governmental department of highways. The content is in three chapters: (1) Identifying Training Needs briefly…

This handbook was written for all parents and staff who participate in elementary school programs. It was designed to help assess the results of program development efforts and impact on students and to identify opportunities for further improvement. The first chapter explains the underlying concepts of the school program review and the basic…

This guide was prepared during a 3-day institute to assist those involved in the initiation and continuance of joint in-service training between state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and Disability Determination Units. The guide is organized around the major considerations in any training program, including: (1) content, which identifies the…

This sourcebook profiles approximately 80 programs that support the redefinition, assessment, and/or enhancement of quality in community services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Direct service programs, however, are not included. The programs and activities described are subsumed under the following broad categories: (1) statewide…