Few states have overcome the political and practical obstacles to implementing a clear, feasible, comprehensive accountability system. The University of Washington's Center on Reinventing Public Education reviewed experiences from state accountability efforts. Workable accountability systems focus on results, clarify goals and roles, and…

To ensure that every child receives appropriate educational and developmental support, professionals who make referrals and who rely on psychological test results need to understand what these tests measure. The principles behind psychological testing, the definitions of key terminology, and the ways in which psychologists interpret test data are…

This handbook was developed to give tutors of adult education information and ideas about assessing adult learning. It can be used as a reference for information about assessment and as a practical tool for tutors. Section 1, Introduction to Assessment in Adult Learning, includes information on these topics: what assessment is, how to assess, why…

The concept that classroom teachers have the knowledge, skill, and experience to validate research findings as related to specific objectives and the broader outcomes of education is discussed. Teaching effectiveness is enhanced by matching principles of learning (participation, readiness, comprehension, satisfaction, and retention) with…

Three articles on evaluation in the Federal government describe a decline in budget and staff support, narrowing of the agenda to internal management issues, and the subordination of evaluation to other functions. Issues for the future of Federal government evaluation are discussed. (SLD)

Addresses the importance of camp evaluation, including the role of formative and summative evaluations; overviews areas of evaluation such as administration, facilities and grounds, programming, and staff; describes functions of evaluation, including human relations, technical function, and conceptual function; describes evaluation tools; and…

Five steps for conducting a midterm evaluation of teaching rather than a standardized end-of-class evaluation are presented. Example outcomes are given, and observations about the process are discussed. Multiple values of midterm course evaluations are apparent for students, the instructor, and the designated evaluation facilitator. (SLD)

Ways and means of evaluating a teaching program, as distinct from making assessments or measurements of student achievement, are suggested. Achieving a structured, integrated, but holistic evaluation of the performance of teachers and classes throughout the year should be a goal. Emphasis is on teacher evaluation in Australia. (SLD)

A strategy is presented for using media exposure to increase evaluation use, including reasons for using media, suggestions about whether to use mass (print and electronic) or specialized (interest-group oriented trade) media, and 10 recommendations for effective use. Program change can be accelerated when media are used effectively. (SLD)

Analyzes the concept and purposes of school delivery standards. Argues against using school delivery standards for accountability, but supports school process standards to create a vision of what education can be. School performance standards that lead to school input and process indicators would provide useful insights. (SLD)

Program managers increasingly incorporate standardized tests into outcome evaluation. Guidelines are presented for selecting and using standardized measures following addictions treatment. These principles, which cover eight basic criteria, are applicable to outcome evaluation of health programs in general. Practical issues related to using…

Strengths and weaknesses of three types of semiquantitative methods used by the federal government in research impact assessment are presented, and examples of their use are reviewed. These include the classic retrospective method, another retrospective approach, and accomplishments books used by selected research-sponsoring organizations. (SLD)

Most states have expanded their statewide testing programs to include alternative educational assessments, and two (Kentucky and Maine) have completely abandoned the multiple-choice format. However, over half of states designing alternative assessments are encountering major difficulties related to the high cost of performance-based assessments,…

The current state of superintendent evaluation is described as reflected in the research literature, drawing especially on five surveys of school districts, and an effort is made to identify the most important issues in improving evaluation. Specific attention is given to the methods suitable for superintendent evaluation. (SLD)

This study examined the use of training program evaluation results in corporate universities. Specifically, the study attempted to determine which organizational members use evaluation data, and for what purposes, and identify the factors that are related to the use of evaluation results. The study was designed to test the appropriateness of the…