A case history is presented that recounts the evolutionary development of a unified evaluation, budgeting, and planning system at Michigan State University. It is a system that is strongly based on the collection and analysis of department, college, and institutional data. (Author/MLW)

Argues that science educators often face the problem of abnormal distributions when conducting large-scale assessments or evaluating national curriculum projects that require complex sampling plans. Examines the precision of science test scores. (DDR)

Corporate data fall under the general category of administrative data and provide varied information on the worker and workplace. Studies of worker health, including evaluations of workplace programs, are often based on corporate data. With the exception of health care claims data, which are usually administered by a third party, the corporation…

IN THE FIRST OF THE THREE SECTIONS OF THIS EVALUATION REPORT, GENERAL INFORMATION IS PRESENTED UNDER THE FOLLOWING RUBRICS--(1) OPERATION AND SERVICES, (2) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, (3) EVALUATION, (4) MAJOR PROBLEMS AREAS OF STATE ADMINISTRATION, (5) IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 205 (A) OF TITLE I, (6) COORDINATION WITH COMMUNITY ACTION…

Since the first edition of "Schools and Data", the No Child Left Behind Act has swept the country, and data-based decision making is no longer an option for educators. Today's educational climate makes it imperative for all schools to collect data and use statistical analysis to help create clear goals and recognize strategies for…

The primary study objective was to develop a statewide system that made use of information about the pre-kindergarten program in combination with kindergarten reading and social outcome measures in order to inform parents about the ability of early childhood programs to prepare children for formal schooling. In order to carry out this objective,…

This paper presents a description and evaluation of Myartspace, a service on mobile phones for inquiry-led learning that allows students to gather information during a school field trip which is automatically sent to a website where they can view, share and present it, back in the classroom or at home. The evaluation focused on three levels: a…

Fieldwork remains the mainstay in the study of geography and in the analysis of the environmental processes. However, an in-depth understanding of the environmental and geographical processes requires extensive as well as intensive fieldwork that involves time and substantial effort, both of which may pose a problem within a given curriculum time.…

During the fall of 1976, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) initiated a statewide study of educational needs as they related to the missions of the DPI. Part of this study, called the Statewide Assessment of Educational Needs (SWAN), was a citizens' opinion poll designed to review state-level priorities. Three topics were…

An evaluative study was done by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance of the structure and costs of multiple data entry (MDE) processing for work on applications for higher education financial aid through federal programs. The Committee reviewed reports, met with Department of Education staff, completed a position paper, and…

The purpose of this report is to comment on practice in the use of existing data bases in program evaluation and school improvement and to explore directions of increased and improved use. The report's impetus is the role that existing data plays in current efforts in local school districts and the possibilities for the future. To a great extent,…

The use of outcome assessment in special education is reviewed. Outcome assessments differ widely in design, measures, and data collection, but they share a common focus on outcomes as individual achievements, statuses, or behaviors. Assessments of special education outcomes often have an evaluative purpose in reflecting how well the special…

The choice of methods is part of the overall evaluation design process. The process consists of the following steps: (1) analyzing the problem context; (2) asking a few general questions; (3) selecting the methods (strategies) to use; and (4) selecting the specific techniques (tactics) to use. To operate successfully the evaluator needs to know…

This report examines the National Institute of Education's (NIE's) Request for Proposals (RFP) entitled "Summative Evaluation of the Response to Educational Needs Project (RENP)." The first of six evaluation tasks, Task O, called for the contractor to verify that the questions selected as important were in fact the most important…

This preliminary report evaluates the second year, 1970-71, of Head Start Planned Variation (HSPV), covering research methodology, description of the models, characteristics of the children, classrooms and sites, estimated overall effects of the Head Start experience, differences in the effects of PV and comparison classrooms, and short term…