Means of fostering utilization of educational evaluations are reviewed. Four ongoing educational evaluation programs were examined: (1) Florida Summer Institute Program; (2) Chapter I Reading Microcomputer Component; (3) Elementary Academically Gifted Program; and (4) Laboratory for Individualized Foundation Teaching. The addition of one factor…

Using 45 undergraduate evaluations of videotaped lectures, this study examined the effects of the purposes of rating on measures of accuracy in observing teacher behavior and in evaluating teacher performance. Results suggest that the purpose affects the way raters process behavioral information without necessarily affecting the general level of…

Reported study determining effectiveness of psychoeducational assessment reports in communicating testing results and programing recommendations to teachers employed in a Bureau of Indian Affairs secondary boarding school. Obtained measures of relevance and appropriateness of diagnosticians' conclusions and recommendations. Suggested methods of…

Stresses the importance of devising accurate methods of evaluation rather than teaching material only because it can be easily evaluated. (DF)

This article presents a discussion of field utilization of staff development activities in the context of three separate training programs. Specifically, classroom implementation of knowledge and skills gained by participants in their training sessions was assessed via the Levels of Use (LoU) interview system. (Author/LMO)

There is plentiful discussion about the importance of accountability, but much needs to be done to translate it into a manageable and credible system of ongoing feedback. In this book, evaluative inquiry is used in a way that balances attention between the investigation process and its purpose. The book is divided into three parts. Following an…

During the past two years, three independent studies--conducted by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), American Institutes for Research (AIR), and the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE)--have examined the accomplishments, shortcomings, and continuing challenges of California's Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA).…

This handbook brings together contributions by scholars in the areas of psychometrics, assessment, and evaluation who have expertise in the application of testing and assessment in multicultural environments. The book provides a comprehensive view of various cultural issues and offers updated information pertaining to the usage of major…

The purpose of this book is to provide public school systems with a fresh and unique approach to building community support. The book suggests that schools must build community support, discusses who the customers segments are, and outlines the diverse ways that public schools can begin to develop strong bonds with each customer segment. It…

This study evaluates how various colleges across the country determine the effectiveness of their remedial/developmental programs. The author sectioned the country into 4 quadrants and solicited participation from 80 randomly selected colleges. A total of 50 colleges (63%) responded from over 30 states. Using personal interviews, case studies,…

The Bureau of Evaluation, created by the Louisiana Department of Education, has established policies and procedures that ensure use of evaluation findings by both policymakers and program administrators. Information on its development, structure, mission, rationale, staffing, and operations is provided. (PN)

This study investigated the significance of viewing the authority to evaluate as an indicator of the exercise of financial control. Financial control in this investigation focuses exclusively on state financial legislation. Evaluation authority in this investigation focuses exclusively on evaluation components of such legislation. (BW)

A study investigated the frequency and helpfulness of information included in multidisciplinary assessment reports as rated by 458 early childhood professionals in planning intervention programs for young children with developmental delays and their families. Results indicate a significant difference in the ratings of direct service providers and…

Offers seven suggestions academic assistance professionals can adopt in order to evaluate strategic models, such as study strategy courses or paired courses. Reports that a 1997 study found that only 25% of four-year institutions complete ongoing and systematic evaluation of their academic assistance programs. (Contains 32 references.) (NB)

In the Network of Performance Schools, 75 British Columbia schools conduct action research on school improvement. Among their findings: a sense of identity around a common goal was key to successful networking, assessment information generated from classroom work provided meaningful data and supported school learning communities, and network…