Designed as a guide to conducting informal evaluations of middle school programs, the nine sections of this booklet review current thinking on issues of evaluation and offer sample questions to be considered by school evaluation teams. Following introductory materials, the first section reviews the benefits to conducting evaluations of…

A critical linkage in training systems is the translation of training evaluation information for reassessing training needs and for making training program changes. This paper presents the development of a conceptual framework for examining the job relevancy and efficiency of training and the linkage for this evaluative information to training…

Issues and elements of case study research are explored and illustrated with the example of a case study of a kindergarten in a suburb of Tokyo (Japan). Case study research is a type of qualitative research that concentrates on a single unit or entity, with boundaries established by the researcher. The case is an example drawn from a larger class,…

Based on the belief that effective literacy assessment is an integral part of literacy instruction, this book provides information about the aspects of reading and writing that can be assessed and how assessing them can aid in planning instruction. Each chapter of the book includes a "reflection" section intended to encourage readers to consider…

Characteristics of periodical use at a small liberal arts college were studied using a methodology aimed at providing a more accurate system for data collection by recording all the periodicals used in an entire semester. In the John J. Wright Library at La Roche College (Pennsylvania), circulation records were consulted, and one person while…

Focusing on the development of systematic observation procedures, this document provides guidance in choosing methods to assess the development of children within an early childhood program. The document discusses how to use observation data to guide decisions about curriculum and teaching, provide feedback on educational and developmental…

NCR (National Cash Register) Corporation is pursuing opportunities to make their point of sale (POS) terminals easy to use and easy to learn. To approach the goal of making the technology invisible to the user, NCR has developed an adaptive expert prototype system for a department store POS operation. The structure for the adaptive system, the…

As Kansas schools have begun to work through the Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA) process, educators have asked for guidance and the establishment of some uniform parameters. This publication is one of the guides designed to lead schools through the school improvement process called for in the QPA. Creating a school profile is a way of…

COPE (Client-Oriented, Provider-Efficient) methodology, a self-assessment tool that has been used in 35 countries around the world, was used to improve the quality of care in family planning clinics in Kenya. COPE involves a process that legitimately invests power with providers and clinic-level staff. It gives providers more control over their…

This document presents profiles of the state education agency (SEA) program monitoring systems in the 58 states and jurisdictions receiving funds under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The first section includes an overview of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) compliance monitoring review system is provided.…

Smart Start is North Carolina's partnership between state government and local leaders, service providers, and families to better serve children under 6 years of age and their families. This report describes the comprehensive plan to evaluate the state and local goals and objectives of the program, focusing on the components addressing the…

This book translates national and state standards into ideas from which teachers can build a workable learning program, clarifying the current language of standards and assessment and helping teachers identify how those standards and assessments can work in their schools or districts. Chapter 1 discusses recent history that has created the current…

This paper discusses a number of interventions that are aimed at increasing educational opportunities of homeless students in the United States. Only a few of these programs have been locally evaluated, and the evaluation process is particularly challenging for local evaluators to undertake. At a state and national level, commitment to evaluation…

This report emphasizes the importance of two types of assessment: (1) authentic assessment, which encompasses a holistic or comprehensive view of student performance, and (2) assessment of institutional effectiveness, or outcomes assessment, which is a process of measuring how effectively a college executes its stated mission. While Hudson County…

There are many procedures to use in the evaluation of student achievement in reading. Each has its pros and cons. No single approach will be perfect, but with a variety of approaches a teacher may determine how much progress each student has made. Standardized, norm-referenced tests, once so popular, have come into disfavor as reading evaluation…