In 1990, Milwaukee (Wisconsin) became the site of the first publicly funded school-choice program providing low-income parents with vouchers that could be used to send their children to secular, private schools. An evaluation of Milwaukee's school-choice experiment was conducted by a team of researchers, headed by John Witte at the University of…

This book reports on the 1994 National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment in geography for grades 4, 8, and 12. Students performance is summarized on a scale ranging from 0 to 500 with the achievement levels of Basic, Proficient and Advanced for each grade. Major findings for the nation include: (1) The Proficient level was…

This booklet, which was developed for the staff of field projects rather than for professional evaluators or researchers, provides guidelines for evaluating projects which promote activities to enhance the well-being of young children, their families, and their communities. The booklet aims to stimulate ideas and discussion, offers general…

The analytical process used in building a compendium of examples of accomplishments by the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) of the Cooperative Extension System is presented and discussed. Lessons learned are cited, and recommendations for future efforts to synthesize evidence on major program thrusts are made. The NWQI is focused on…

This guide is intended to help develop and implement an outcomes assessment program at the school, district, or state level. An introduction summarizes the purposes of this approach to assessment, which focuses on results rather than process. A four-step process is outlined. The first step is to establish a solid foundation for assessment efforts,…

An 18-member Collaborative of Michigan educational organizations and agencies was formed in October 1994. The Collaborative was committed to systemic reform that included inclusive relationships, challenging ideas, and changed practice to ensure better teaching and learning for all students. The Collaborative made the assumption that it would take…

This letter is an interim response to the October 7, 1991 request from the Committee on Education and Labor and the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education of the House of Representatives asking for a review of the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) achievement levels for the National Assessment of Educational…

A program review model that can be used at the system level in the Simcoe County in Ontario (Canada) schools is presented. Program review is a process of systematically marshalling information so as to enable individuals to critically debate a specific program and eventually make more informed decisions about the program. A variety of conceptual…

Child care quality is not a single dimension, but rather a multidimensional characteristic of programs that support the family in its child-rearing role and programs in which children thrive developmentally, socially, cognitively, physically, and emotionally. At the regulatory and accreditation level, approaches to quality focus on group size,…

This publication is designed to facilitate program assessment involving women's studies courses by setting feminist principles of assessment in the context of the larger assessment movement. It features innovative assessment designs, a variety of methodological approaches, and practical advice about how to conduct a productive assessment project…

Design and implementation of a curriculum evaluation plan for the vocational education program (occupational education under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act) of a large correctional system are described. An outside evaluator assisted in designing and conducting the first year's evaluation. The 1991-92 curriculum used was…

Developed for the staff of field projects, this booklet provides guidelines for evaluating projects to promote activities that will enhance the well-being of young children, their families, and their communities. The booklet aims to stimulate ideas and discussions, offers general principles to help in evaluation, and raises issues that encourage…

This report examines five programs that use peer support groups as the key element of their prevention or intervention efforts in preventing or reducing the incidence of substance abuse, school failure, and other problems of adolescence. Chapter 1 provides introductory material. Chapter 2 contains background information on the peer program…

This document describes the 1993-94 program review process for Austin Community College (ACC), in Texas. First, the goals of program review are briefly reviewed and ACC's mission and instructional philosophy are set forth. The structure and process is then described, indicating that an Instructional Program Review Committee (PRC), formed of two…

In 1988, whether the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)--the "Nation's Report Card"--could become a report card for the states was studied. A trial assessment program was authorized to determine whether state assessments following the NAEP format could produce reliable and useful estimates of educational progress. This…