This document consists of an introduction, five sections, and a list of 12 references. The introduction explains why cost-benefit analysis is being applied to training in developing countries--even in those in which the expenditure for education has reached enormous proportions. The first section reviews the main providers and beneficiaries of…

This technical report, the final product of the deliberations of a panel charged with an external review of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), considers three broad issues: (1) the apparent lack of comparability between the findings of the 1984 and 1986 reading assessments (reading anomaly); (2) the accuracy of NAEP trend…

A closeup look is provided of a trend in the field of educational policy in the 1980's: the establishment of university-based centers that have a mission of providing state policymakers with nonpartisan, reliable data on education policy options. The development and characteristics of education policy centers are examined. The first section…

This issue of FEEDBACK, a newsletter produced by the the Austin Independent School District Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE), illustrates the accuracy, validity, and fairness of ORE reports. The independence of the reports is explained. Internal and external quality controls are used to ensure reliability and accuracy of the reports.…

This report is part of an overall regional needs assessment effort undertaken by Research by Better schools and it summarizes test results from state education agencies in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Performance trends over the past several years were analyzed. Major findings indicate that: (1)…

This study investigated ways of making present and past results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and other data sources maximally useful as science indicators and to recommend possible changes in instrumentation and procedures that may enhance future NAEP surveys for these purposes. Primary emphasis was given to reviewing…

A rating scale designed by the Alaska Department of Education to be used by administrators, professional staff, and community representatives to assess community education programs is presented. The scale elicits information regarding: (1) philosophy; (2) administration/management; (3) personnel management; (4) fiscal management; (5) planning; (6)…

Teacher inservice education coordinators working with approximately 130 school districts were asked to report on their use of, and to rate the effectiveness of, 11 planning practices. The study's purpose was to determine if the emphasis in the literature of the past decade on collaborative planning and needs assessments beyond a teacher survey…

A case study was undertaken to evaluate the career guidance program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to determine the basic effectiveness and outcomes from a natural resource career education program. (Author)

This chapter presents the view that educational evaluation is an inherently political process and that educational practitioners and scholars will profit from attending more directly to questions about the political aspects of evaluation. The author argues that evaluation is a political resource that can be used to influence the distribution of…