The reauthorization of the U.S. Elementary and Secondary Education Act, referred to as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), emphasizes evidence-based initiatives while providing new flexibilities to states and districts with regard to the use of federal funds, including funds to promote effective school leadership. In response, state and…

This document provides an overview of the critical role of fiscal data in state Part C systems. This information is intended to help state Part C lead agency staff better understand strategic fiscal policy questions, the fiscal data elements needed to address those questions, and the benefits of using these data. Fiscal data provide powerful…

School leaders are critical in the lives of students and to the development of their teachers. Unfortunately, in too many instances, principals are effective in spite of--rather than because of--district conditions. To truly improve student achievement for all students across the country, well-prepared principals need the tools, support, and…

This toolkit is designed to help community schools evaluate their efforts so that they learn from their successes, identify current challenges, and plan future efforts. It provides a step-by-step process for planning and conducting an evaluation at your community school site(s). The toolkit is a practical, hands-on guide that makes it possible for…

As part of its work to advance the multiple pathways approach to high school education, the James Irvine Foundation engaged the Bridgespan Group to develop a framework for assessing the nature and needs of the fields in which nonprofits operate. These agents of change often struggle to understand how to focus their field-building investments and…

This report presents the key findings and recommendations of the Advisory Panel for the Head Start Evaluation Design Project. The principal audiences for the report are: (1) leadership and staff of the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) who have administrative responsibility for Head Start; and (2) local Head Start programs.…

In years past, Maryland has provided little guidance toward adoption and implementation of Scientifically Based Reading Research (SBRR) programs. Only recently, with the implementation of the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration program and the Reading Excellence Act (REA) program, have schools or local education agencies been required to…

Increasing demands for evidence-based early childhood services and the need by policymakers to know whether a program is effective or whether it warrants a significant investment of public and/or private funds--coupled with the often-politicized debate around these topics--make it imperative for policymakers and civic leaders to have independent…

Advice for adventure-based counseling (ABC) programs seeking funding includes setting realistic goals, designing an evaluation that matches program resources, and keeping it simple. Low recidivism is most important to grantors. Published research on ABC is scarce, but on-site process research generates useful data, and local schools and agencies…

Offers advice on how to obtain grant money for libraries. Highlights include outcome-based goals; finding funding sources; and parts of the proposal, including the need or problem statement, objectives, methods, evaluation, budget, and program continuation. A sidebar lists 10 tips for winning grants. (LRW)

An overview of issues in program evaluation is provided for corporate contributions administrators, including the place of testing in such evaluations, so that the administrators are in a better position to plan, commission, monitor, evaluate, and use evaluations of the projects they fund. In the first chapter, metaphors and models for educational…

This manual is designed to help youth services specialists in libraries in Texas customize their Reading Club efforts for their communities. A successful reading club requires careful thought, extensive planning, and willing and eager participants. Attracting and engaging these participants is of primary importance, as is the reason for the…

Designed to assist both grantmaking agencies and applicants for funding, this proposal format describes and provides examples of the components of program planning and proposal writing. Each of the components is followed by a checklist. The first component clearly and concisely summarizes the request. The proposal introduction describes the…

Information on the peer review process for the evaluation of federal grant proposals is presented to help college grants administrators and faculty develop good proposals. This guidebook provides an overview of the policies and conventions that govern the review and selection of proposals for funding, and details the review procedures of the…

This monograph, intended for Maine educators, presents basic information in question-and-answer format on assistive technology devices and services and the role of assistive technology in delivering appropriate education to children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Questions address the following topics: definitions;…