In an effort to reverse the reading crisis purported to plague public education, schools and districts are mandating prescriptive reading programs and teacher-centered instructional practices in hopes of improving the academic achievement of minority students, including English learners (ELs). The wide-spread implementation of these programs in…

To determine whether program evaluation will be an important tool for policymaking and management in the Reagan Administration, it would be helpful to consider what the Reagan administration expected and received from evaluation in California during the period 1971-1974. In California, program evaluation activities were frequently implemented on a…

The educational reform strategies of Texas, California, and South Carolina are examined as they relate to reform outcomes. The current effort toward educational excellence must shift its focus from regulation and compliance monitoring to mobilization of institutional capacity. (SLD)

Guidelines for conducting a program quality review or school self-evaluation are presented. The program quality review process is designed to evaluate curriculum and instructional strategy effectiveness, guide the development of an action plan, and provide a model for school self-study. Part 1 describes applications of the quality criteria to…

For years, experts have said that the way to get things done is to schedule them on the calendar and to find a partner to join in the effort. Following this advice, the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) joined the Leadership Initiative at WestEd in inviting superintendents and district teams to think through improving…

This handbook gives educators and administrators the tools, information, and resources to design and implement a physical education program. Chapter one contains an assessment guide that can be used to assess and revise the physical education program in elementary and secondary schools. The second chapter contains information that physical…

An evaluative study was done of California's Bilingual Education Program, the goal of which has been to teach English and other academic skills to more than half a million students with limited English backgrounds. While the State Department of Education provided no comprehensive evaluation, there is evidence that some components have been…

This case study of the Early Childhood Education Program (California) focuses on the political meaning of evaluation. It shows how analysis of evaluation politics reveals who controls education policy, which values are prevailing and dominant, and which definitions of policy goals constitute the assumptive world. (RDN)

The California State Department of Education provides part-day comprehensive development programs for 3- to 5-year-olds from low income families. The programs include educational development, health services, social services, nutrition services, parent education and participation, evaluation, and staff development. The state requires that all…

Each state is accountable for the quality of its postsecondary educational program. However, most states have either delegated this responsibility to nongovernmental accrediting agencies or chosen not to exercise their full authority in this area. (MLW)

After several lengthy evaluations of California's Early Childhood Education (ECE) program proved inadequate, unhappy legislators and educators finally found satisfaction in a brief, mimeographed report. Several factors were responsible for the success of this new evaluation, the "Interim Report on the Special Study of Selected ECE Schools…

This guidebook includes information compiled by the "Audit Manual" committee of Community College Internal Auditors (CCIA) from several California community college districts regarding their internal auditing practices. The first section of the guidebook discusses the purpose of internal audits, indicating that audits assist members of…

Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) is a public service program administered by the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of minority students who have sound academic preparation, giving them the background to successfully complete a…

The twelfth in a series of annual reports on the program review activities of the California State Postsecondary Education Commission staff and the three public segments of higher education is presented, covering proposals for 50 new degree/certificate programs submitted to the Commission between July 1986 and June 1987. Four recommendations are…

This report reviews California higher education academic program evaluation activities from July 1988 through June 1989. An introductory chapter discusses the meaning and purposes of program evaluation, accreditation, and outcomes assessment at institutional and state levels and the Commission's role. The second chapter reports on planning for new…