Schools in California's Early Childhood Education Program (ECE) have lower reading achievement than non-ECE schools; furthermore, schools which are both ECE and Title I score below all others. Three alternative policies are discussed: (1) continued expansion; (2) gradual termination; and (3) stable funding, explaining score discrepancies, and…

ifferent evaluation models were applied to data from a high school career education program to investigate problems in statistical conclusion validity and program effectiveness judgments. If potential threats to internal validity are analyzed and protection strategies are developed, more confidence in unplanned ex post facto design using a…

Research into the technical adequacy of statewide alternate assessments is limited. In this study, the authors analyzed 2 years of data from one state's alternate assessment in written language in an attempt to validate current test score interpretations. More than 1,000 students were included in each year. Findings support the test's technical…

This study examined a model of assessment that could be applied nationally for Year Twelve Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjects and which could yield both a differentiating score and recognition of competence. More than fifty colleges across all states and territories of Australia field-tested the approach over one school year. Results…

Intended for policymakers, administrators, and others involved in determining how the efficiency and effectiveness of technical and further education (TAFE) should be measured, this monograph contains the following sections: (1) "Introduction," including a explanation of the origins of the push for performance indicators and the response…

A field test evaluated "Auto Mechanics I" curriculum materials developed and published by the Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center, Oklahoma State Department of Vocational and Technical Education. The results and conclusions reported relate to student achievement and teacher evaluation and comments for each of the 23 units of…

The identification, validation, dissemination (IVD) process represents a quality control effort whose ultimate purpose is to validate and disseminate projects of proven educational quality and significance. The IVD and the Joint Dissemination Review Panel (JDRP) processes are complementary, although their procedures and criteria are distinct. JDRP…

Educational reform is becoming synonymous with accountability. However, designing an effective accountability system poses serious challenges for states as is clear from the progress and pitfalls experienced by states such as Texas, Kentucky, and California. For example, many states tend to overload their new accountability programs, resulting in…

The effectiveness of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment program (FIE) in improving the cognitive performance of slow learners was tested for one year with low performing vocational high school students in Ontario (Canada). Improved cognitive performance was noted for FIE students, although changes in personality and attitude were substantiated…

This paper discusses the practice of social validity assessment in applied behavior analysis, proposes elements that should be included in state-of-the art assessment procedures, offers a taxonomy of consumers to guide the construction and circulation of assessments, and suggests strategies to improve social validity assessment. (JDD)

This report reports activities of the Regional Information Exchange (RIE) program under the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research's Knowledge Dissemination and Utilization Program. An overview compares the RIE program with a National Diffusion Network unit--the Joint Dissemination Review Panel, which also focuses on…

A study examined the effectiveness and replicability of staff training programs provided by the Northern New England Social Action Theater (NNESAT), whose touring component travels around the country promoting the use of improvisational theater as a means of training all levels of literacy practitioners. Questionnaires were administered at 13…

Although there are many reasons to evaluate training and development (T & D) programs, it is often time-consuming and expensive to do so. However, evaluations can be conducted by an auditing approach. The auditing approach to evaluating T & D offers three advantages. Auditing is quicker and less expensive than traditional methods, and it uses a…

Although research strongly supports the facilitative nature of empathy in all helping relationships, there is a need for the experimental assessment of the differential effects of procedures designed to maximize this skill. Resident assistants (N=154) participated in a study to compare programmed and didactic training methods and to determine the…

The second of two related pamphlets, this guide describes how to design an outcome study and outlines procedures for collecting outcome data. After an introduction that delineates the purpose of the two-part series, the pamphlet is divided into four major sections. The first section explains how to select a cost-outcome analysis. The next three…