One of a series of booklets on disability research, this paper is intended as an introduction to the role of evaluation in the utilization process. Its purpose is to help disability researchers grasp the importance of incorporating a focus on assessing use into plans for disseminating research outcomes. The paper begins by examining basic…

This paper outlines important considerations for program evaluators and school administrators when creating evaluation designs, disaggregating student outcome data, and interpreting and reporting achievement data for improved program implementation and informed classroom instruction to ensure treatment of English Learner (EL) students. Evaluation…

Discusses the following aspects of educational evaluation: (1) structural changes; (2) conceptual changes; (3) mixed methods and unraveling consensus; (4) utilization of findings; (5) the role of values; and (6) the role of politics. Discusses how evaluation moved from monolithic to pluralistic, reflecting the change from consensus to pluralism in…

Citing the signaling and charged use distinction, examines federal expectations and need for evaluation data and extent of local capabilities to meet those expectations when secondary/transition model demonstration projects, funded by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, were obligated to improve amount, quality, and use of…

Events that brought independent evaluators together to address common problems and issues in the area of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) education are described, focusing on development and accomplishments of the collaboration. The foundation stemmed from the funding agency's insistence that each program identify an evaluator. (SLD)

Maintains that a professionally conducted assessment, both quantitative and qualitative, is the beginning of successful strategic planning. Discusses assessment standards and identifies future assessment models for music education. Considers the use of quantitative and qualitative assessments and addresses what should occur during a three-year…

Explores relationships between evaluators and those who participate in community-based programs, focusing on the Communities That Care (CTC) program in Britain. Discusses different community perspectives toward evaluation, highlighting challenges created for evaluators. Provides examples to identify CTC evaluation strategies, showing the…

The study under review is the second-year evaluation report of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), a publicly funded voucher program that allows low-income students in Milwaukee to attend secular and religious private schools in that city. Its primary finding is that there were no overall statistically significant differences in…

The lack of consensus among researchers in defining the focal construct of rurality has led to contradictory conclusions of whether or not a rural-urban performance gap exists in higher education. Compounding this problem are the changing definitions of rural and urban, even among governmental agencies. Thus, this study used two different…

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 digest illustrates the variety of basic and theoretical issues in evaluation with which aspiring evaluators should be conversant in order to claim that they know the knowledge base of their profession. Coverage of the issues includes: the four steps in the logic of evaluation; whether qualitative evaluations are valid; whether it matters if…

This study investigated the possible causes of the contradiction between the results of two projects. Indiana's Prime Time project compared the achievement of students in large (averaging 26 students) and small (averaging 19 students) classrooms in grades 1 through 3. Results indicated that 3 years in smaller classes had little effect on student…

Issues in the ongoing evaluation of an innovative curriculum in an academic setting are discussed. The program provides instruction in computer literacy to a physically challenged clientele and to professionals from local service agencies who have disabilities. Data have been collected through survey questionnaires principally composed of Likert…

This report discusses the purposes and nature of various forms of assessment that can be used to enhance, support, and monitor the progress of science learning in elementary school classrooms. Chapters included are: (1) "Introduction" (describing assessment priorities); (2) "Issues in Assessment" (discussing validity, correspondence between…

Some special problems associated with evaluating intelligent computer-assisted instruction (ICAI) programs are addressed. This paper intends to describe alternative approaches to the assessment and improvement of such applications and to provide examples of efforts undertaken and shortfalls. Issues discussed stem chiefly from the technical demands…