ERIC Number: ED506627
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Jun
Pages: 8
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
How to Find a Capable Evaluator to Conduct a Rigorous Evaluation of an Educational Program or Practice: A Brief Guide
Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy
The purpose of this Guide is to provide education officials, program providers, and others seeking to sponsor a rigorous program evaluation with practical advice on finding a capable evaluator. More specifically, this Guide offers practical advice on finding an evaluator to conduct a rigorous evaluation to measure the effect of an educational program on outcomes such as student achievement. (Such evaluations are often called "impact" evaluations.) The Guide's main focus is on finding an evaluator to conduct a well-designed randomized controlled trial, since that is the primary type of evaluation capable of meeting the evidence standards of the What Works Clearinghouse of the U.S. Education Department's Institute of Education Sciences (IES). However, the Guide also includes endnotes in each section discussing how the principles might be adapted for those seeking to sponsor other high-quality evaluations when a randomized controlled trial is not feasible (e.g., well-matched comparison-group studies or regression-discontinuity studies). This Guide limits itself to key principles, and does not seek to be an exhaustive list of factors to consider in finding a capable evaluator. (Contains 8 notes.)
Descriptors: Evaluators, Program Evaluation, Program Effectiveness, Evaluation Methods, Guides, Outcomes of Education, Research Methodology, Evidence, Educational Policy, Federal Programs
Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy. 900 19th Street NW Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006. Tel: 202-380-3571; Fax: 202-380-3624; Web site: http://coalition4evidence.org
Publication Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: Administrators
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy; What Works Clearinghouse (ED)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A