Land-grant Extension institutions face increasing expectations to use data to communicate value and drive program and organizational development. In this article, we introduce the University of Wisconsin--Extension Data Jam Initiative, an integrated qualitative software, methods, and data analysis curriculum. The Data Jam Initiative is an…

The perceived value of postsecondary education to economic competitiveness and individual success is driving innovation in higher education. Competency-based education (CBE) is the latest disruption that seeks to respond to the growing sense of national urgency to boost education attainment. The target audience generally includes those adult…

This technical assistance guide was developed to consolidate a statewide understanding of the effort to systematize the delivery of employment and training programs through the local formation of job centers in Wisconsin, and to provide a compilation, drawn from 20 local models, that explains how the programs are delivered. The guide is organized…

The purpose of this booklet is to provide suggestions that may be helpful to local school communities as they create their own ways of involving parents in the school. It presents a planning model that identifies seven specific steps that might be taken by any community to fashion a model appropriate for that community. These steps suggest the…

Critical elements of career development may be ignored unless systematic intervention is planned. The objectives to be achieved in the Career Guidance Model are grouped into five phases: (1) awareness of self and society with individual orientation/attitudes; (2) awareness of self-in-society; (3) individual selection orientation/valuing; (4)…

Wisconsin's school-to-work initiative is being led by citizens representing business and industry, education, organized labor, community groups, and governmental entities from all over the state. They share a vision for improving how students are prepared to become successful citizens, productive workers, and lifelong learners. This booklet…

This report is an evaluation, using randomized experimental/control design, of a program involving negotiated contractual agreements (MAP) between prisoners and parole boards for specific parole dates contingent on performance in work, training and treatment activities. Contracts were generally for less than six months. Both feasibility and…

Summarized are activities of the Wausau District Public Schools (Wisconsin) toward developing a model for cost efficiency analysis in special education. The model links input-output analysis and task analysis features. Introductory information includes varying impressions of cost efficiency concerns and the current status of project development.…

This guide was developed to help Wisconsin agency assessment, evaluation, and planning personnel to develop a perspective on how needs assessment fits into their state's vocational rehabilitation program planning. It is intended to offer practical and responsible suggestions that meet the intent of federal and state mandates. Volume I of the guide…

This guide was developed to help Wisconsin agency assessment, evaluation, and planning personnel to develop a perspective on how needs assessment fits into their state's vocational rehabilitation program planning. Volume II provides state agency personnel with tools for conducting rehabilitation needs assessment. The first three chapters consider…

A Wisconsin advocacy model for gifted education programs is presented, emphasizing ongoing collaboration and dissemination to most effectively utilize meager resources. Essential elements of the dissemination design are identified, including use of regional sites, requiring participation of an administrator on the team, group problem solving, and…

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the National Institute of Mental Health jointly sponsored a project for the development of statewide organizations for parents of children with emotional disorders. The Statewide Parent Organization Demonstration Project (SPODP) has two major goals: to stimulate and support the…

An interim report on the Stout State University model for training special class teachers to prepare secondary level educable mentally handicapped students for social and vocational adjustment is presented. Pertinent literature is reviewed; and the Stout State proposal which emphasizes academic skills and incorporates vocational education and…

A model for involving local planning and support committees in the process of planning Wisconsin county extension education programs was developed as a way of improving the planning of extension programs statewide. The key components of the planning model developed were (1) the use of influential officials and community representatives and (2) the…

CHOICES, a community model, was developed to be used by community organizations serving young women. The ultimate goal was to develop programs, using local resource persons, to help young women recognize and take advantage of the many options available to them in preparation for a fulfilling career. Other activities of the CHOICES project staff…