This document addresses the first objective of a study to develop criteria to measure the effectiveness of vocational education demonstration projects. An introduction provides background to the project and the issue addressed here, namely the issue of interim and final acceptable evidence of project impact, including the criteria, documentation, and standards that are considered sufficient for evidence of project effectiveness. Section II describes the strategy for defining acceptable evidence, which consists of conducting a literature review to assess the state of the art in measuring the effectiveness of educational innovations, formulating a draft of the interim and final acceptable evidence, reviewing the draft with an advisory panel, and revising the draft. Sections III and IV present the revised interim and final criteria, standards, and documentation. Three criteria define interim acceptable evidence: demonstration impact, dissemination, and efforts toward institutionalization. These three criteria define final acceptable evidence: utilization, long-term impact, and continuation/adaption impact. Two paradigms outline the criteria, documentation, and standards for the interim and for the final acceptable evidence. Suggestions for data collection are made in each section. Section V summarizes the document. (YLB)