This report urges states to participate in the State Wage Interchange System (SWIS), as it can aide states in satisfying Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reporting requirements, and help states better understand whether former participants in workforce training and education programs are finding good jobs. SWIS is a data sharing…

The State Family Outcomes Measurement System Framework (S-FOMS) is a framework originally developed by the Early Childhood Outcomes Center that identifies seven key components of a high-quality family outcomes measurement system at the state level. The seven components are: (1) Purpose; (2) Data collection and transmission; (3) Analysis; (4)…

Parallel efforts in principal evaluation and educator preparation are prompting new conversations among states, higher education programs, private foundations, and professional associations about strengthening school leadership development pipelines. A strong school principal pipeline has many elements, but each element supports the evaluation and…

CHILDREN AT RISK, a nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization, undertook a year-long effort to study the subsidized child care system in Texas. This included an in-depth analysis of the system's local and state partners, as well as the promotion of the study's findings and key recommendations. This report is one of the products of this…

In 2005, state fish and wildlife agency wanted to examine how one of its conservation education programs was providing science-based understanding and outdoor experiences by evaluating students' knowledge, skills, attitudes and intended behavioral outcomes related to fish, fishing and aquatic habitats in Montana. A key factor in this study was the…

Students, a large percentage with disabilities, are at high risk for poor post-secondary outcomes in state agency education programs. This mixed-methods study describes the understandings of student transitions in state agency education programs from the perspectives of youth and administrators. Results indicated that: transition is more narrowly…

Elements of Success 1: Structural Options outlines the range of current children's cabinet and council structures in place and offers tips and warnings for getting the most effective structure in place. This issue brief builds heavily on interviews conducted by the Forum and on the detailed documentation work done by Susan Robison for the National…

The report evaluates the functions and effectiveness of sheltered workshops for handicapped students in Minnesota. The initial chapter reviews the history of the workshops, discusses participation in state workshops, describes programs and services of vocational rehabilitation, and summarizes funding of rehabilitation facilities. A chapter on…

California's Employment Training Panel was created in 1982 to work in partnership with the state's businesses, labor unions, and government to provide training funds to California businesses. In 1995, the Employment Training Panel's administrative practices, strategic planning efforts, and contracting policies and practices/procedures were…

The report presents the results of an evaluation of New York's 13 Alcoholism Treatment Centers (ATCs). The goals of the evaluation were to review the role of the ATCs in relation to other alcoholism treatment facilities, to assess their effectiveness and efficiency, and to determine how much money is collected for service provided to patients.…

A supplement to the related document "Delinquency Prevention: Theories and Strategies," this paper analyzes the options for state agencies (particularly state planning agencies participating in the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration formula grant program) to promote and support program forms recommended in the companion document.…

This document reports on an exhaustive study into the large-scale treatment of drug abuse in New Jersey. Seeking to assess the impact of these programs, the state provided money to cover the cost of this comprehensive, year-long survey of both methadone maintenance and drug-free treatment projects. The findings generally supported the New Jersey…

Interest in evaluating vocational and technical education has increased with changes in the federally legislated evaluation requirements and the national interest in economic development. Recommendations have stressed mastery of basic academic skills and preparation for multiple jobs during the working years. Indiana's three-level system for…

Current practices of most state vocational rehabilitation programs concerning the use and reporting of benefit-cost results are reviewed, and problematic issues are identified. Empirical data from Minnesota illustrate alternative ways of reporting evaluation results relating to efficiency. The recommended accounting framework provides relevant and…

Reports on the results of an evaluation of the Illinois Community College Board's recognition process, by which community colleges are judged to be in compliance with state standards. Discusses administrators' perceptions of the effectiveness of the preparation, on-site visit, and reporting phases of the recognition process. Suggests enhancements.…