British evulative studies in education have taken different approaches from those in America. Although there has been some interchange of ideas, the social context in the two countries is different, requiring different mechanisms for the initiation, implementation, and followup of educational evaluation. There are still lessons to be learned in this relatively new field from comparing work in the two countries, using examples from recent studies. This paper examines and compares British and American approaches, under four headings: (1) their political genesis, (2) agencies involved in commissioning and executing evaluative studies, (3) use made of results, and (4) possible evolution of these approaches. (Author)