Presented here are reviews of the reports from the National Institute of Education (NIE) on the Compensatory Education Study (an evaluation of compensatory education programs in the United States). Ernest House's article addresses the evaluation study directly. It covers the study's assessment of funding allocations, program administration,…

A field test evaluated "Auto Mechanics I" curriculum materials developed and published by the Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center, Oklahoma State Department of Vocational and Technical Education. The results and conclusions reported relate to student achievement and teacher evaluation and comments for each of the 23 units of…

Three approaches to validating competencies of vocational education programs in technical and professional schools are examined. Competencies are defined as behavior-oriented and relatively simple, observable behaviors which can be identified and measured by the frequency of occurrence. The three models, which have elements in common, are expert…

After surveying the nationwide trend toward reduction and re-evaluation of counselors, this report traces the development of a guidance program accountability evaluation process. The history, a basic definition and rationale of the program, and its goals are described. Various assessment tools, data evaluation and the resulting suggestions and…

The identification, validation, dissemination (IVD) process represents a quality control effort whose ultimate purpose is to validate and disseminate projects of proven educational quality and significance. The IVD and the Joint Dissemination Review Panel (JDRP) processes are complementary, although their procedures and criteria are distinct. JDRP…

The Teacher Corps has been directed to put a greater focus on demonstration, documentation, institutionalization, and dissemination of the results of Teacher Corps projects. This report deals with program policy alternatives for improving the dissemination of project-developed products, practices, and processes to educational agencies and…

A project was conducted to validate program standards and performance standards for four postsecondary occupational areas--fashion merchandising, fashion design, apparel, and window treatment services. Returns from 117 questionnaires from postsecondary institutions in fifty states were used to develop program standards statements and to provide…

Descriptions of new developments in the areas of facilities, applications, user services, support staff, research, evaluation, and courseware production since the Second Summative Report (1977) are provided, as well as a summative overview of PLATO applications at the University of Delaware. Through the purchase of its own PLATO system, this…

Possible reasons for conducting evaluations of college and university courses are outlined, and the evaluation system developed at the Australian National University is described. Sources of information for teachers to use in making course improvements are suggested. (MSE)

Educational reform is becoming synonymous with accountability. However, designing an effective accountability system poses serious challenges for states as is clear from the progress and pitfalls experienced by states such as Texas, Kentucky, and California. For example, many states tend to overload their new accountability programs, resulting in…

This paper examines whether the peer-review process of the North Central Association (NCA) is reliable and valid. Reliance on peer judgments has been a part of NCA accreditation, but confidence in the use of peer decisions to certify a school's readiness to implement the improvement plan--Outcomes Accreditation (OA)--was weak. The study focused on…

The effectiveness of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment program (FIE) in improving the cognitive performance of slow learners was tested for one year with low performing vocational high school students in Ontario (Canada). Improved cognitive performance was noted for FIE students, although changes in personality and attitude were substantiated…

Evaluates an Illinois statewide program to remove status offenders from detention. Found substantially fewer youths were referred to detention but more youths than expected were classified as detainable and subjected to court and agency processing. Suggest this may be due to organizational self-interest and the weakness of community structure.…

The Developing Models for Special Education project utilized a novel evaluation design to produce data for national validation. The results of the evaluation are presented, and the problems and benefits associated with both the theoretical model and the further use of this design are discussed. (Author/GDC)

Summarizes major points of NAEYC's revised position, describing how the revision builds on and expands the previous document through the growing knowledge base and the input of practitioners who used the original publication. Discusses the historical context within which the position statement was written, and summarizes the revisions. Discusses…