This document synthesizes the findings from the evaluations of four statewide programs designed to provide support for underperforming schools and districts in California as part of the state accountability system: (1) Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP); (2) High Priority Schools Grant (HPSG) Program; (3) School…

The Success By 6® (SB6) initiative is designed to support early care and education centers in improving and sustaining quality in Pennsylvania's Keystone STARS Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). This SB6 evaluation report examines implementation and outcomes. The findings have implications for SB6 continous quality improvement process…

The Success By 6® (SB6) initiative is designed to support early care and education centers in improving and sustaining quality in Pennsylvania's Keystone STARS Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). The SB6 evaluation report examines implementation and outcomes. The findings have implications for SB6 continous quality improvement process…

The continuously growing demand for program results has produced an increased need for evaluation capacity building (ECB). The "Integrative ECB Model" was developed to integrate concepts from existing ECB theory literature and to structure a synthesis of the empirical ECB literature. The study used a broad-based research synthesis method with…

Educational inequalities are evident even before children start school. Some educational achievement gaps widen out as individuals progress further through the education sequence and into the labour market, especially those connected to disadvantaged students. Thus, there is a significant need for careful evaluation of educational policies that…

Major strides have been made in the field of youth development. However, youth transitioning into adulthood have not received similar attention. These older youth have frequently been overlooked by policymakers and practitioners who have been more focused on designing programs and services for adolescents and young children. Because older youth…

Provides a synthesis of the literature pertaining to the principles and practices of performance measurement, auditing, evaluation, and reporting. Discusses how bringing these elements together in a performance management system can be achieved through refinement of strategic direction, reporting on key measures, and periodic, systematic…

The analytical process used in building a compendium of examples of accomplishments by the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) of the Cooperative Extension System is presented and discussed. Lessons learned are cited, and recommendations for future efforts to synthesize evidence on major program thrusts are made. The NWQI is focused on…

This is an overview and synthesis of the Learning and Skills Development Agency's (LSDA's) research and support activity that applies to 14-19 year olds. It pulls together various strands of activity within LSDA between 2000 and 2005 to provide a comprehensive picture of the publications relating to this age group. It is designed for use by…

This paper provides a composite picture of some recent studies of research, demonstration, and curriculum development programs. The primary focus is on three studies: "Assessing Vocational Education Research and Development" (National Academy of Sciences, 1976, COVERD Report, ED 128 754); Anthony H. Pascal, et al., "Federal Programs…

This paper compares the effects of desegregation on black achievement with the effects of other factors in the process of school learning that have recently been synthesized. The first section of the paper discusses techniques and guidelines for research synthesis, including meta-analysis. The second section presents a summary of the statistical…