Evaluation findings of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Community Demonstration Program show few clear indications of the effectiveness of case management approaches. This article identifies phenomena that explain the lack of positive effects and suggests that evaluation problems may explain apparent negative…

This is volume three of a six-volume guide to the establishment and management of a comprehensive family-support program. This volume explains the role played by evaluation in the evolution of family-support and family-education services, introduces key aspects and important considerations in planning an evaluation, and discusses how to choose a…

The purpose of this guide is to provide state and local Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) program administrators with an approach to developing meaningful and relevant negotiated performance standards that will serve as a management and evaluation tool. The guide is organized in four chapters. Chapter I provides background information on the…

This is the second of three volumes that constitute the final evaluation report of Project STAR (State Technical Assistance Resources), an undertaking of the Maryland State Department of Education designed to help 36 elementary schools improve their reading programs. This volume is divided into five parts. The first part contains a discussion of…

In the present climate of public accountability, there is increasing demand to show "what works" and what return is gained for the public from investments to improve communities. This increasing demand for accountability is being met with growing confidence in the field of philanthropy during the past 10 years that the impact or effectiveness of…

This study examines the impact that diversity courses (DC's), created to increase social awareness on college campuses, have on 553 students' interactions with faculty, critical thinking and social engagement. Conducted at a large, private tier one research institution, this study reviews a pre-college survey, post-college survey and student…

Speech and language pathologists (SLPs) are collaborators in a diagnostic process that reflects an increasing number of referrals of children with autism spectrums disorders (ASD). Also, current practices leading to the remediation of speech and language disorders have come under scrutiny for limitations in effective carryover of targeted goals…

This longitudinal qualitative study examined how four preservice elementary teachers used language to construct professional identities, learn within relationships, and take risks in the classroom during their final three semesters in teacher education coursework and field experiences. My female participants were former students of mine in the…

The reporting of scores on educational tests is at times misunderstood, misinterpreted, and potentially confusing to examinees and other stakeholders who may need to interpret test scores. In reporting test results to examinees, there is a need for clarity in the message communicated. As pressure rises for students to demonstrate performance at a…

This study examined the impact of a service-learning program on college students in an inclusive camp environment. Participants in the study completed a pre-post questionnaire to determine the impact of service-learning on the students' self concept, personal growth, and understanding of diversity as it relates to working with children with…

Rhode Island's proficiency-based high school diploma system requires high school graduates to demonstrate proficiency in standard-based content and applied learning skills through at least two performance assessment measures (RIDE, 2003). To meet these requirements, 12 of Rhode Island's 39 school districts are using ePortfolios as one of their…

This article describes an initiative to evaluate the impact of educational psychologists' (EPs') casework. Previous studies have often focussed on evaluating processes or reducing outcomes to measurable units. The authors argue that qualitative research methods can be used to illuminate EP effectiveness. They describe a real world and…

The use of standardized tests for outcome assessment has grown dramatically in recent years. Two driving factors have been the No Child Left Behind legislation, and the increase in outcome assessment measures by accrediting agencies such as AACSB, the international accrediting body for business schools. Despite the growth in usage, little effort…

Public school districts in the Mississippi (MS) Delta are under severe pressure to make rapid and adaptable changes in response to the federal legislation No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the MS Plan for Student Achievement: Assessment, Accreditation, and Accountability. These reform Acts require higher student performance standards and new…

Educators in the Chula Vista Elementary School District determined what kind of instruction students needed through a "response to intervention" (RTI) process, which provides extra help to struggling students with an aim of reducing the number of referrals to special education. As RTI catches on throughout the country, the district is on…