Discusses the actual evaluation procedures of magnet schools from several standpoints, including evaluation methodology, using actual evaluations, and new evaluation research areas. (SR)

Describes development of a before-and-after-school extended day program for a magnet school. (RH)

The Enacted Practices Evaluation Model (EPEM) is an accountability system for "promised" program practices. Evaluating programs in terms of implemented treatment (i.e. enacted practices) in ways that yield valid and reliable results for accountability purposes is among the most vexing challenges in the field of program evaluation.…

Magnet schools gained prominence in education in the 1970s as a tool for achieving voluntary desegregation in lieu of forced busing. The theory behind magnet schools as a desegregation tool is simple: Create a school so distinctive and appealing--so magnetic--that it will draw a diverse range of families from throughout the community eager to…

This paper, based on a recent comparative study of magnet schools conducted by the Department of Education, describes the features of successfully designed magnet schools. First, the paper highlights some of the major findings from the study on which it is based. Although there is a wide degree of variation in the design, development, and…

This book asserts that alternative programs remain a practical management strategy for educating diverse student learners, offering specific ideas for program implementation, accountability for student learning, and quality service provision. The information serves as an overview of important factors to consider for those seeking new approaches to…

The report evaluates Texas' Multiple Careers Magnet Center (MCMC), a part time program to provide special education secondary students with career training. It is explained that students enter one of six career education clusters: furniture repair and upholstery, general construction trades, building and grounds maintenance, laundry and dry…

The effectiveness of the magnet school program of the Duval County Public Schools, Florida, was studied. The magnet schools were established at approximately half of the district's 150 schools as part of a desegregation plan. The schools offered a variety of theme programs. In spring 1998, the program was evaluated by four subcommittees of a…

This document consists of nine papers which discuss the planning and design, implementation and maintenance, and evaluation of magnet schools. They are based on practical experience with magnet schools, which first appeared in the early 1970s. By 1982, the movement had grown to include more than 1,200 schools in 140 urban school districts, and the…

This paper provides a case study of eight magnet schools in Austin, Texas, to illustrate the role of evaluation research in assessing the impact of the magnet school experience on students and parents. After an introduction, the paper describes the history of Austin's magnet schools at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. Next,…

This paper, based loosely on findings presented in the other papers collected with it in a single volume, discusses general issues in designing magnet schools, focusing on three main themes: (1) the interdependence of program design and recruitment issues; (2) school level practices which help to turn racial desegregation into racial integration;…

A study of the implementation and effectiveness of a unique magnet program, this first-year evaluation deals with the International Baccalaureate/Writing Academy magnet program implemented at San Diego (California) High School during the 1985-1986 school year. The first chapter points out issues and concerns of the program, while the second…

A project-wide evaluation of the Houston, Texas magnet school program indicated that it successfully implemented four court-defined desegregation goals: (1) fewer schools which are 90% or more white or combined black and Mexican-American; (2) fewer students who attend such schools; (3) free transportation for magnet school students; and (4) an…

The National Alliance of Black School Educators' (NABSE) Educational Development Plan (EDP) was initiated in 1985 as a four-year effort to implement the findings and recommendations of NABSE's report of the Task Force on Black Academic and Cultural Excellence, "Saving the African American Child" (1984). The EDP has the following major…

In this booklet, the use of Academic Interest Centers (AIC) in Chicago public schools is described. An AIC is defined as an educational option program which: (1) concentrates a unique combination of resources for academic improvement in one location; (2) serves children of various racial/ethnic backgrounds in a way that advances their academic…