This technical supplement to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) evaluation final reports presents details of the technical approach used for creating analysis variables and estimating impacts of treatment group services on outcomes, including employment, earnings, and SNAP participation. It also…

This report is drafted with state leaders and policy makers in mind, including those who work with or support these education leaders. The information shared in this report will likely be most relevant to states that have either not yet considered a new data system on teacher preparation providers, are only now starting to consider the idea, or…

Physical education is critical to addressing childhood obesity, yet many school-based programs do not meet established quality standards and teachers are called upon to change. Little is known about how change is initiated and its associated internal and external factors. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate physical education…

Illinois is investing in bridge programs as a strategy to help more low-skilled and low-wage workers improve their skills, acquire postsecondary credentials, and move up to better jobs. This guidebook is built on early lessons of bridge programs in Illinois. It is designed as a resource for those who want to develop a new bridge program or…

This evaluation guide is designed to assist local community college instructors, administrators, and other persons in the evaluation of their agricultural occupations program. The first of three sections provides an introduction and discusses (1) how standards benefit students, colleges, and the community; (2) how to prepare for a review of the…

Father involvement enhances children's well-being. A growing body of research supports this conclusion, showing that children with involved fathers exhibit greater school readiness, increased cognitive development, higher levels of empathy, and other positive characteristics (Administration for Children and Families 2004a). Research also indicates…

Designed for local school and district vocational educators, this manual contains instructions and materials necessary to plan and implement a student longitudinal followup system. Part 1 provides background information and definitions used in the system. In part 2 are described the 11 major activities that must be undertaken by local program…

Seven model family literacy programs in Illinois were monitored for one year to determine successful program components and characteristics and to assist local programs in developing and implementing practical evaluation systems. Six were networking programs each of which involved several agencies, and one program was designed on a center-based…

As a follow-up to phase 1 in reports 1-2, this report presents the second and third phases of a project which examined changes in seven Illinois family literacy programs, assisted the sites in implementing evaluation systems, and tested the usefulness of an evaluation framework. In phase 2, structured and conversational interviews and site…

The structure and function of family literacy programming in Illinois is examined in this two-part report. National models are reviewed to provide an understanding of research and practice in the field, and a framework is proposed for the systematic development and evaluation of family literacy programs. Based on visits to 19 sites (59% of the…

Designed to help library media personnel analyze their local programs to identify strengths and weaknesses and then to progress toward specific goals, these recommended standards address all aspects of library media service within Illinois schools. Standards are included for three phases of development representing increasing growth and…

This catalogue of student competencies, gleaned from 10,000 competency statements developed by secondary school districts, is designed to allow flexibility at the local level. Districts are free to adopt or modify this set of graduation competencies by following a six-step process: organize, orient a task force, identify priority competency…

The Illinois Problems Index (IPI) is used to identify educational problems in a wide range of situations. IPI is composed of a series of three survey instruments, sequenced to provide increasingly specific information about school district problems. The instruments are based on 49 general problem categories, each of which is matched to a set of…

This report describes a program for improving moral character to increase academic achievement. Targeted population consisted of middle school students in a growing middle class community in a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The problem, an absence of proper moral character, was documented through data collected from discipline referrals to…