This brief describes new requirements for vocational education program improvement and evaluation mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990. Recommendations to enhance the impact of program improvement and evaluation activities are included. The first two sections discuss developing new state…

This abstract and outline for a workshop explore the use of focus groups in evaluation. Cerritos College in Norwalk (California) conducted a series of focus groups to evaluate a new matriculation program. A focus group is a technique often used in marketing research to explore a specific topic. It is a group interview conducted in a casual setting…

A study examined the performance measures and standards implemented by each of the 50 states to comply with Section 115 of the 1990 Perkins Act. Data were gathered through workshops and telephone conversations with contact persons from each state and from an analysis of relevant state-supplied documentation. The performance measures and standards…

This guide is intended to help develop and implement an outcomes assessment program at the school, district, or state level. An introduction summarizes the purposes of this approach to assessment, which focuses on results rather than process. A four-step process is outlined. The first step is to establish a solid foundation for assessment efforts,…

This digest illustrates the variety of basic and theoretical issues in evaluation with which aspiring evaluators should be conversant in order to claim that they know the knowledge base of their profession. Coverage of the issues includes: the four steps in the logic of evaluation; whether qualitative evaluations are valid; whether it matters if…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was developed by the Arts Education Consensus Project to establish objectives for assessing arts instruction in elementary and secondary schools. The project identified objectives for arts education in general and individually for dance, music, theater, and the visual arts in grades 4, 8, and…

In 1995 the Rowland Unified School District (California) developed a new mission statement defining core values for the district's preparation for the 21st century. The district then set about implementing a new accountability system with existing measures to establish baseline data for measuring progress toward the new goals. The focus in this…

In 1997 the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) launched the Austin Collaborative for Mathematics Education (ACME), a project funded by the National Science Foundation to improve mathematics education districtwide. The initiative provides all K-8 mathematics teachers in the district with long-term professional development and…

A program review model that can be used at the system level in the Simcoe County in Ontario (Canada) schools is presented. Program review is a process of systematically marshalling information so as to enable individuals to critically debate a specific program and eventually make more informed decisions about the program. A variety of conceptual…

In response to the rapid growth of computer crime and such illegitimate practices as piracy and fraud, the National Institute of Justice and the Office for Educational Research and Improvement have formed a partnership to promote school programs on the ethical uses of new technologies. This report, the first of the partnership, is designed to…

This publication is designed to facilitate program assessment involving women's studies courses by setting feminist principles of assessment in the context of the larger assessment movement. It features innovative assessment designs, a variety of methodological approaches, and practical advice about how to conduct a productive assessment project…

Design and implementation of a curriculum evaluation plan for the vocational education program (occupational education under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act) of a large correctional system are described. An outside evaluator assisted in designing and conducting the first year's evaluation. The 1991-92 curriculum used was…

In the 1992-93 school year, in response to a request from the Board of Trustees of the Austin Independent School District (Texas) (AISD), the district's Office of Research and Evaluation conducted a retrospective examination of the 1991-92 AISD programs to determine cost-effectiveness when possible. This report describes the review process.…

Developed for the staff of field projects, this booklet provides guidelines for evaluating projects to promote activities that will enhance the well-being of young children, their families, and their communities. The booklet aims to stimulate ideas and discussions, offers general principles to help in evaluation, and raises issues that encourage…

This research bulletin on inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings first outlines distinctions among mainstreaming, inclusion, and full inclusion. It explores whether federal law requires inclusion, the "down side" of inclusion, the impact of inclusion on classmates, supplementary aids and services, the…