The emergence of a sequence in evaluation approaches at the local level during the decade of Title I is discussed. These recurring patterns related to objectives, evaluation designs and data collection modes reflect impact of both external factors (e.g., changes in funding guidelines) and internal factors (e.g., changes in priority needs). However, periodic re-emergence of earlier approaches has been characterized by increasingly more comprehensive purposes, with more specific identification and interrelationship of process and product factors. The spiral sequence thus generates "new" combinations and applications of "old" approaches. (Author/RC)