Presents a history of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), focusing on procedural changes from 1969 to date and questions whether NAEP results should be used for accountability purposes. It recommends that NAEP should be insulated from reform efforts and that NAEP's monitoring of population levels of educational achievement…

Makes the case for a shift in the emphasis of research on student ratings of teaching in higher education. Identifies four shortcomings of student ratings as in need of attention to increase the practical usefulness of student ratings. (SLD)

Reviews research related to the foundations of biobehavioral states assessment, its use with typically and atypically developing infants, and related studies on individuals with profound disabilities. The development of state assessment procedures for individuals with profound disabilities, and their adaptations and implications for classroom use…

The evaluation course content of graduate programs in public affairs and administration programs was studied with 140 master's degree programs. Most (85%) programs provide at least one evaluation course, and evaluation is a core requirement in 49%. Courses are more likely to focus on outcomes and policy impact than management. (SLD)

Used nationwide data to examine how schools assess educational outcomes and integrate evaluation data into master's of social work (MSW) program and curriculum development. Also identifies key difficulties which programs report having encountered in addressing the Council on Social Work Education's former Evaluative Standards 1.4 and 1.5…

The seven chapters of this special issue explore problems in how to better understand the reasoning process that is used to establish evaluative conclusions. The many unanswered questions about reasoning should stimulate further investigation of the meaning of sound evaluative reasoning. (SLD)

In October 1994, legislation established a requirement that Public Health Services (PHS) programs spend at least 0.2% of appropriated funds on program evaluation. Legislative changes are a result of a study of the use of PHS set-aside funds from 1988 through 1992. They are intended to encourage more and better evaluation. (SLD)

A professional support personnel evaluation model is presented that is grounded in sound evaluation theory and conceptualized in research as well as practice. Validity, reliability, and utility are acknowledged in the seven steps of an evaluation model that balances institutional and individual needs. (SLD)

The seven articles of this special feature consider the role of evaluation in learning organizations. They draw on applications in business and industry, public schools, higher education, a community arts agency, and a foreign township to illustrate the importance of evaluation in the growth of learning organizations. (SLD)

Review and examination of the current literature on reference interview evaluation explores the degree to which such evaluative practices are both desirable and achievable. It is concluded that, if both quantitative and qualitative techniques are appropriately used, accurate mechanisms of evaluation are possible and desirable. (17 references) (LRW)

A good formative evaluator, who helps programs become as effective as possible, behaves remarkably like a good personal coach. Nine ways in which a formative evaluator can help a program manager are listed, and implications for practicing evaluators and the evaluation profession are detailed. (SLD)

Assessment provides information with which to make informed decisions about learners and programs and to support the learner through the educational experience. A comprehensive assessment system should contain information about learner goals, background, interests, skills, and attitudes; appropriate instruments; standards; and feedback to the…

Evaluation utilization problems encountered and remedial strategies are discussed by a director of several government evaluation studies and evaluation manager. Political and behavioral prerequisites to evaluation utilization as well as on-going organizational requirements are emphasized. (TJH)

The five articles of this sourcebook, organized around the five-component framework for evaluation described by W. Shadish, T. Cook, and L. Leviton (1991), present a new theory of realist evaluation that captures the sensemaking contributions of postpositivism and the sensitivity to values from the constructivist traditions. (SLD)

The dynamic interplay between internal and external evaluation in formative and summative studies of an intervention program aimed at promoting mathematics, science, and technology education was explored. Results emphasize the need to define the roles of formative and summative evaluation and the contributions of internal and external evaluators…