Action research in the Cobb County (Georgia) school district is described. This research is being conducted in the district under three main approaches: (1) co-researcher projects addressing central level issues; (2) district-wide projects; and (3) school-focused action research, including minigrants to teachers. The first three…

Using data tables to verify statements and highlight needed changes, this report provides accountability for the activities of Sacramento City College's (SCC's) Assessment Center from November 1, 1981 through March 31, 1982. After noting a 9.4% increase in Assessment Center use during the period, the report provides data on the reading levels of…

The Evaluation System of the District of Columbia Public Schools has several purposes. It is designed to enable the school system to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and to identify characteristics of programs that seem to increase effectiveness. Also, it is designed to enable the schools to follow particular students over a period of years,…

American migrant and seasonal agricultural workers are a population needing categorical assistance due to low income, difficult working and living conditions, and a mobile lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to identify, describe, and analyze federally funded migrant services. This study, based on interviews with program officials and…

The Memphis Apple Classroom of Tomorrow (ACOT), one of seven ACOT locations, was a joint project of the city schools and Apple Computer. The ACOT consisted of a class of 30 fifth grade students in an inner city school, who were selected on the basis of the willingness of the students and their parents to participate and to use computers in the…

Although methodological integrity is not the sole determinant of the value of a program evaluation, decision-makers do have a right, at a minimum, to be able to expect competent work from evaluators. This paper explores five areas where evaluators might improve methodological practices. First, evaluation reports should reflect the limited…

In May 1983 the California State University (CSU) introduced the Entry-Level Mathematics (ELM) examination as part of its basic skills assessment process for first-time freshmen and undergraduate transfers. The exam is intended to provide students and counselors with information on the levels of mathematical competency possessed by entering…

The potential use of interactive videodiscs for teaching foreign languages, and factors to be considered in evaluating such programs, are discussed. Two types of existing programs, developed and used at Brigham Young University, are described: adaptations of existing video material, such as the classic Mexican film "Macario," and free branching…

This study presents information about employer-supported child care, evaluates its prospects for further development in Appalachia, and recommends ways the Appalachian Regional Commission can best encourage such development. A background investigation and four surveys were conducted. The background investigation included a review of the literature…

This report summarizes the work of the Georgia Express project staff and the five task teams that provided research services to the Georgia Task Force on Adult Education. (The purpose of the Task Force was to review Georgia Adult Education's current goals, objectives, and procedures and to make recommendations for program improvement.) The report…

To examine the diversity and productivity of the Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA) Chapter 1 Migrant Education Program, three types of information were drawn from states' applications and end-of-year evaluation reports: state program descriptive data, student service data, and student impact data. The Migrant Student Record…

A fourth year study of project SAM (Student Accountability Model), initially an effort to provide a system of procedures for collecting data on community college occupational students during and after their stay in college, was expanded to devise a system for incorporating nonoccupational students into the SAM model. The primary objective of the…

During the 1972-73 school year, the reading-language arts program of the Fort Gay-Thompson Schools was evaluated using data drawn from two major sources: intent--the planned-for conditions, behaviors, and effects; and observations--surroundings or events observed in a direct or personal way by the evaluator. Two categories of information were…

One of seven guides developed to assist vocational-technical institutions in conducting a systemized approach to local evaluation, this administrative perceptions guide presents a suggested methodology for conducting a needs assessment with the administrative and supervisory staff. The matrix included depicts the factors and indicators assessed by…

The conceptual framework behind the model of aggregate U.S. Employment Service (ES) productivity is described in this report (and the companion volume of appendixes) along with the illustrative estimates of ES productivity using the model. Chapter 1 introduces the question of productivity measurement in a social purpose. Chapter 2 contains a…