One institution's several years' experience with the Department of Education's Quality Control Project, which is attempting to ascertain the value of student financial-aid application-verification efforts, is summarized and commented on. (Author/MSE)

Willson's informal analysis of the impact of 20 project evaluations suggests that many federal- and state-mandated evaluations have little effect on decision making. William J. Gephart reacts to this analysis and suggests reasons why evaluators' reports may not be used. Finally, Willson supports secondary data analysis. (GDC)

Two issues in the Holtzman Project bear examination and reconsideration: (1) the recommendation for the use of field experiments as an exclusive "authorized" evaluation design, and (2) the focus on the needs of the federal client, and the apparent lack of concern for clients at the state and local levels. (GC)

Summarizes a report from Northwestern University that reviewed Federal evaluation practices of federally supported educational programs at the national, state, and local levels. Considers: (1) evaluation purposes and methods; (2) evaluators' capabilities; (3) use of evaluation results; and (4) ways that evaluation procedures/practices can be…

Visits to 146 schools in the winter of 1978-79 and interviews with teachers, administrators, and others involved with the implementation of 61 different instructional innovations revealed stability and durability in these innovations and fidelity to the original innovation. The innovations are those associated with federally funded projects…

State and local education agencies increasingly have to spend a larger percentage of their time collecting, aggregating, and reporting information to federal agencies. This report suggests that the federal evaluation strategy to describe program implementation as well as impact is usually ill considered, inappropriate and of questionable utility.…

Examines the role of scientific and technical information in national development in Nigeria and establishes a framework that could enhance the use of this information for development purposes. Factors such as national information policies, government support of research projects, and the role of international organizations in technology transfer…

Following opening remarks by Joseph L. Dionne, four sections of papers are presented. In part I--Testing and the Basic Skills--P. Michael Timpane and Judith Shoemaker discuss federal activities, Edwin L. West, Jr. discusses the coordination of teaching and testing, and Amelia Ashe describes testing and teaching of writing competency. Part…