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,…

This report presents preliminary findings of a 5-year study evaluating the effectiveness of state-funded prekindergarten programs in Texas. The two components of the study included in this report are (1) a statewide survey of 507 school districts, focusing on prekindergarten program characteristics, implementation, and parents' perceptions of the…

Noting that every community is faced with providing high quality, affordable, and accessible child care, and that child care resource centers (CCRCs) are among the best tools for helping communities meet child care needs with the combined resources of the community, this manual is designed to help CCRCs design a public education program to meet…

This paper provides a list of questions to help teachers and administrators determine whether initial plans for gifted and talented services are actually aligned with the program implementation. Questions focus on students, curriculum, program implementation, and service delivery and relate to: (1) identification and services provided to gifted…

The development of "New Apprenticeships" reflects the need to strengthen employment-based training in Australia. The strengths and tradition of Australia's existing system must be built upon; inflexibilities that reduce options and choice must be removed. It is a four-stage process: development of policy principles, establishment of a…

Mentoring at-risk students has become one of the fastest growing and frequently used strategies across the nation to help young people. This document examines the structure and implementation of mentoring programs. Chapter 1 discusses mentoring as an appropriate and effective strategy. The mentoring relationship is examined, natural versus planned…

Comprehensive evaluations of two dropout prevention/reentry demonstration programs, sponsored by the Department of Education, one funded under the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program (SDDAP) and one funded under the Cooperative Demonstration Program (CDP), are provided in this paper. Both programs were designed to demonstrate effective…

This summative evaluation assesses the progress made by four elementary magnet schools in Kansas City, Missouri during three years of implementing a visual and performing arts theme. Enrollment, implementation, perceptions, and achievement are the focal areas considered in the evaluation. Enrollment at each elementary arts magnet school was above…

An evaluative study was done of California's Bilingual Education Program, the goal of which has been to teach English and other academic skills to more than half a million students with limited English backgrounds. While the State Department of Education provided no comprehensive evaluation, there is evidence that some components have been…

The Louisiana Accelerated Schools Project (LASP) is a statewide network of schools that are changing from the traditional mode of schooling for at-risk students, which stresses remediation, to one of acceleration, which stresses accelerated learning for all students. The accelerated schools process provides a systematic approach to the…

The purpose of this manual is to promote the inclusion of special needs children in child care environments by applying an eight-step process of training, mentoring, and evaluating. The material in the manual covers approximately 6 months of enabling experiences for child care center owners and directors preparing to include special needs children…

In 1987, Florida anticipated the federal Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Program with Project Independence, a statewide welfare-to-work program. It was structured to increase employment among Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) recipients as quickly as possible, primarily through job search activities. An evaluation was begun in 9…

A study was done to assess implementation of the Chapter 1 program improvement provisions of the Hawkins-Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988. Chapter 1 is the largest federal education program for educationally deprived school children, and the Hawkins-Stafford Act was designed to ensure that individual schools…

The Mentor Teacher Internship Program (M.T.I.P.) represents, a collaboration between the Board of Education of the City of New York and the United Federation of Teachers. The program establishes a relationship between an experienced mentor teacher and a newly hired uncertified teacher. This report evaluates the 1992-93 M.T.I.P., discusses the…

Focusing on the school district's written expectations for students, this document examines curriculum improvement in four sections, each accompanied by a list of related references. The first section explores the organizational and substantive planning needed to structure any curriculum improvement project effectively and includes information on…