This collection of six articles describes essential features of systemic program evaluation. Articles are: (1) "Programs Need to Go Beyond 'Comprehensive'" (R. Jerry Adams and Kim Yap); (2) "Systematic Planning of Goals for Desired Outcomes" (Steve Nelson); (3) "A Framework for Conducting Systematic Evaluation" (Dean Arrasmith); (4) "Developing Systematic Improvement Strategies" (Joan Shaughnessy); (5) "How to Design a Systemic Evaluation Process" (Roy Kruger and Patrick Weasel Head); and (6) "Using Evaluation Findings in Improvement Efforts" (Changhua Wang). Developed on the basis of a review of the relevant literature, discussion among evaluators, and the personal experience with program evaluation, the papers in this collection are intended to stimulate and facilitate future research and development work on systemic evaluation and the use of indicators of progress in complex school and community improvement situations. The document is intended to share emerging perspectives with interested policy makers and evaluators in order to begin a dialogue on developing a systemic approach to evaluating inventions in education and other social service areas. Systemic evaluation is considered to be particularly applicable to the evaluation of AOD programs where multiple sources of influence (e.g., peers, family, school, and community) impinge on the success of prevention and intervention efforts. (TS)