There is widespread agreement that many of California's high schools are doing a poor job of preparing their students for college and careers. The James Irvine Foundation is sponsoring a major initiative to develop "Multiple Pathways"--now called the Linked Learning approach--as a strategy for improving the performance of California high…

This report summarizes the perspectives and attitudes of a selected set of district and school site administrators whom the authors interviewed in Twin Rivers Unified School District (TRUSD) during the fall of 2009. The authors carried out interviews and focus groups with these individuals to gain an understanding of how the current budgeting…

The role of nonprofit human service executive directors in their organizations' program evaluation process is described. Recognizing that the leader's perspective from within the organization is fundamental to building capacity for and utilizing program evaluation, this study examines 42 executive directors to determine how they view program…

Funders and program planners want to know: What does it cost to operate a high-quality after-school or summer program? This study answers that question, discovering that there is no "right" number. Cost varies substantially, depending on the characteristics of the participants, the goals of the program, who operates it and where it is located.…

Clarifies concept of evaluation as inherent part of all purposeful activity, briefly analyzes health service processes, and constructs evaluative model applicable to health service systems in general. (Author)

This paper reflects on a process evaluation of a home visitation programme in South Africa. The programme, implemented in two low-income communities, focused on the reduction of risks to unintentional childhood injuries. The evaluation comprised a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including observations in conjunction with an…

This study shows that high rehabilitation rates correlated significantly with large caseloads, high program expenditures, low expenditures per client, and shorter duration of clients in the program. In sharp contract, rehabilitants' salary correlate significantly with small caseloads, small program budgets, select clients, high training…

The Educational Computer Service (ECS) of the National Education Association (NEA) evaluates and distributes educational software. An investigation of ECS was conducted by the Computer Education Committee of the Software Publishers Association (SPA) at the request of SPA members. The SPA found that the service, as it is presently structured, is…

This final article in a series on identification of cost/benefits data, formulation of models, and data collection discusses use of cost/benefits analysis results. The following issues are addressed: how to be prepared for study objections; how to increase understanding of your study; and viewing cost/benefit analysis as an iterative activity.…

Presents seven questions for tracking the effectiveness of training: (1) who is the client; (2) what is the problem or opportunity; (3) which results are to be tracked; (4) how is training linked to the results; (5) what is the total cost; (6) what information is needed; and (7) how long does it take to determine results. (SK)

The limits, function and procedures of operational evaluation are described. Operational evaluation can only begin once a project activity is underway. Its function is diagnostic but not prescriptive. Basic tasks include specifying objectives, defining criteria, establishing priorities, identifying cost factors, obtaining or developing measurement…

Discusses and responds to criticisms of ten indices proposed for monitoring the operations of a training development group as a means of detecting problems and evaluating the impact of management decisions: productivity, timeliness, effectiveness, project efficiency, curriculum efficiency, cost, value, developmental process, personnel development,…

This project was directed to the development of a self-evaluation model which would enable community colleges to evaluate their effectiveness in providing occupational education programs for the disadvantaged and handicapped that are funded under the Vocational Education Amendments of 1968. To accomplish their goal, the evaluation team made a…

The results of a study to evaluate the potential life-cycle costs and cost savings that could be realized by applying the Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS) concept to future avionic systems were presented. The tasks evaluated included selection of program elements for costing, selection of DAIS installation potential, definition of a…