Action research in the Cobb County (Georgia) school district is described. This research is being conducted in the district under three main approaches: (1) co-researcher projects addressing central level issues; (2) district-wide projects; and (3) school-focused action research, including minigrants to teachers. The first three…

Some steps to identify an initial set of indicators and to develop alternative indicator systems are outlined for educational evaluation and illustrated through the example of a National Science Foundation (NSF) study of mathematics and science education. The first step is to conceptualize potential indicators to specify a comprehensive monitoring…

This report represents a first step in a voluntary cooperative effort among Federal and State governments and education associations to: identify the most critical needs for education policy information; assess the present capacity of the national statistical system to address these needs; and provide broad direction for system improvements.…

This document provides an overview of the "Guide To Improving the National Education Data System," the first publication of the newly created National Forum on Education Statistics. The 36 recommendations for improving the nation's elementary and secondary education statistics system that are outlined in the Guide are summarized. This…

The Evaluation System of the District of Columbia Public Schools has several purposes. It is designed to enable the school system to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and to identify characteristics of programs that seem to increase effectiveness. Also, it is designed to enable the schools to follow particular students over a period of years,…

Nonresponse issues are investigated for the base year (1988) survey of the United States Department of Education's National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), a national probability sample of middle schools and eighth-grade students in the spring of 1988. The total eighth-grade enrollment for the NELS:88 sample of schools was 203,002;…

Guidance is provided for state Chapter 2 coordinators and evaluators in designing and implementing the congressionally mandated evaluation of the effectiveness of the Chapter 2 program. The first part of this paper reviews the congressional mandate and discusses the appropriate audience for evaluation reports. A schedule is outlined for conducting…

This guide is intended for use in conducting a review of adult and community educational programs. The procedures explained in the manual are geared toward conducting a program evaluation that is intended to (1) serve as an educational tool that program practitioners can use in gaining a better understanding of the ways in which their program…

This handbook provides guidelines to help school districts to assess local conditions and needs relating to multicultural education. Part 1 contains an evaluation checklist outlining information to look for and questions to ask in evaluating a school. The checklist considers: 1) school philosophy, objectives, and educational commitments; 2)…

General research designs and procedures, special methods applicable to libraries and media centers, and research techniques from educational technology are discussed in this guide to research applications in the school media center. Topics covered include the nature of the research process; the identification and definition of researchable…

This report presents a comprehensive discussion of issues affecting the use of ethnographic research methods in bilingual education classroom research. Quantitative methods alone have not provided an adequate understanding of how the bilingual classroom operates, the meaningful features of the classroom, how children learn, and what…

In this working paper and executive summary, focus is on procedures to be used in cost-effectiveness studies of the University of Mid-America/State University of Nebraska (UMA/SUN) delivery system of open learning. Two major questions are addressed: Should cost-effectiveness studies be undertaken, and if so, what kind of studies? The planning…

The basis for the assessment process in this project is that structured situations within curriculum areas will yield vocational information (skill and behavioral) that has a direct and indirect relationship to occupational areas in the world of work. Thus, with the assistance of school assessment teams, seven situations were identified and…

This guide presents detailed information concerning the purposes and process of program evaluation, the role of the evaluator, and the development of an evaluation plan or design. Instruction is provided in selecting or developing assessment instruments, collecting and analyzing data, reporting evaluation results and applying the findings. The…

To help equip persons in leadership positions with procedures and techniques needed for obtaining valid and reliable evaluative data, this institute involved 100 applicants, several alternates, and consultants in various planned activities. The institute focused on these major purposes or outcomes: (1) Participants would learn additional…