Austin Community College contracted with MGT of America, Inc. in spring 1999 to develop a peer and benchmark (best) practices analysis on key indicators. These indicators were updated in spring 2002 using data from eight Texas community colleges and four non-Texas institutions that represent large, comprehensive, urban community colleges, similar…

A study examined effects of the Self-Sufficiency Project (SSP) Plus program. A small group of long-term income assistance (IA) recipients in New Brunswick was offered an earnings supplement and employment services (SSP Plus); a second group was offered the regular SSP earnings supplement only; and a third group was offered neither supplement nor…

This book examines approaches, techniques, and instruments that relate to the evaluation of training and development in the context of higher education in the United Kingdom (UK), focusing on the importance of identifying the purpose of the evaluation as an initial step. Some financial evaluation methods are also considered. It is suggested that…

Four 3-year projects within the Rural Telecomputing Initiative enabled rural teachers in Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, and Tennessee to connect with math and science reform communities and use resources available through the Internet. This study of the projects' first 2 years examined: (1) whether the projects made a difference in teachers'…

This review of the literature discusses contemporary theories and models of action research that are being used by university faculty who are working with administrators and teachers to plan and conduct school-and classroom-based action research projects. The books that are reviewed provide educators with a variety of models for planning and…

This report assesses implementation, knowledge, understanding, and use of the National Record of Achievement (NRA) in all sectors in Scotland in 1995. The report also seeks to identify problem areas and examples of good practice and make recommendations for the future development and promotion of the NRA in Scotland. The NRA is a United…

This handbook offers extensive guidance in evaluating programs under the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, particularly bilingual education programs under Title VII. It is divided into five sections. The first provides an overview of the handbook and some useful definitions. The second section provides background information about and…

This book posits that "plain talk" is needed on the subject of evaluation in vocational education and training. In the first chapter, conceptual issues are discussed. Chapter 2 focuses on the reasons for, and methods of, evaluation. Chapter 3 presents and assesses the value of a broad range of evaluation techniques, including outcome measures,…

This action research project sought to increase motivation in second- and fourth-grade students in an urban Midwestern school. Achievement and skill measures as well as observations indicated a lack of student participation and interest. Three areas of intervention were implemented: cross-curricular activities to heighten student interest,…

This book describes an effort by Jobs for the Future (JFF) to help communities keep their school-to-career reform efforts on track through a process of goal setting and measurement that sets realistic and achievable reforms while still building toward fundamental educational change. The process is called "benchmarking," and those involved must:…

This document presents practical guidelines for evaluating community-based adult leaning projects in the United Kingdom to document their impacts. The guide provides frameworks, terms of reference, examples of methods used by community-based projects, ways of demonstrating project impact, and a range of evaluation tools. Sections 1 through 10…

Project REAL (Rural Education Aligned for Learning) aims to improve mathematics and science education in grades 5-8 in five rural Ohio school districts identified as in "academic emergency" or on "academic watch." Program goals are to reform curricula to teach skills and concepts, rather than facts; improve students' math and…

This packet contains three papers from a symposium on evaluating university human resource development (HRD) programs. The first paper, "Where Have All the Young Ones Gone? An Analysis of the Graduates of an Human Resource Development Program" (Douglas H. Smith, Jo D. Gallagher), reports the results of a survey of graduates between 1998…

This set of manuals was developed by the California Child Care Initiative for the training of Spanish-speaking family day care providers. The English-language trainer's guide has been designed to accompany "El Comienzo" ("The Beginner") and "Esto Es Familiar" ("It's a Family Affair"). The Spanish-language…

This monograph reports on a qualitative evaluation of the Together We're Better (TWB) program, an effort in Minnesota to develop an inclusive, positive, supportive educational system. The TWB project focused on: (1) general education/special education collaboration within the state department of education; (2) district partnerships; (3) personnel…