One hundred of the largest school districts from seven regions were surveyed to scrutinize local teacher evaluation policies and practices, to determine the efficiency of local evaluation instruments and procedures, and to compare local teacher evaluation with state teacher evaluation programs. The Teacher Evaluation Practices Survey (TEPS) was…

Examples of the difficulties that public school program evaluators can have in explaning perplexing results are provided. Arguments abound over the best way to report a finding that has multiple interpretations or presentation options, and the enigma of realizing that one way to report a finding is not the only way, or even necessarily the best…

Although the importance of systematic evaluation of educational policy and practice is well established, various problems confound the intention of evaluating regional or national activity with regard to computer-related activities in education. At least two of these problems relate to a general conception of the appropriate entry points for…

The philosophy of accreditation is discussed in a paper commissioned by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools for a project on "Rethinking Accreditation." After defining accreditation and distinguishing it from assessment, evaluation and "meta-evaluation" are discussed, including the nature of accreditation in…

The Park City School District (Utah) career ladder design provides a system in which teachers are positioned and paid according to successful performance and differentiation of responsibilities. It includes an evaluation system to differentiate among teachers. The career ladder design presents a number of innovations; for example, excellent…

Continuous discourse tracking, when used as a test of the effectiveness of aural rehabilitation strategies, has numerous uncontrolled variables related to the sender, the receiver, the text materials, and repeated presentations. Tracking is inappropriate for across-subject designs, and acceptable for within-subject test designs only when stringent…

Twenty-five years of evaluation research are reviewed. Findings show that evaluations of social programs have been negative. Policymakers often blamed the evaluators when it was not clear why certain programs had failed. There is hope for a better working relationship as evaluators adopt better methods and social policy becomes more rational. (VM)

Asserts that teachers must form collaborative alliances and nonevaluative dialogue to regain control over their own professional development. The empowering potential of Robert Goldhammer's and Morris Cogan's original conceptions of clinical supervision have been distorted through the process of redefinition by vested interests to a form of…

This article defines educational evaluation; describes its role in education; and compares and contrasts it to measurement, research, and learner appraisal. Evaluation is shown to have an important role in play in education, notably in relation to program improvement. Limitations of educational evaluation are noted. (Author/JAZ)

Parents are often asked to complete behavioral checklists and personality inventories regarding their children when they bring them in for psychotherapy or neuropsychological testing. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Conners' Parent Report Scale (CPRS), and the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) are frequently used tests. Some…

This paper addresses the challenges and strategies of evaluating curricular reforms in secondary schools by presenting a case study of the College Board's Pacesetter Math course, a fourth level course that was entering its third year in 1995-96. The Pacesetter math course is intended to be an alternative to more traditional pre-calculus courses,…

At the request of a Senate subcommittee, this report describes the value of conducting impact evaluations, describes their current use in evaluating selected early childhood education and care programs, and discusses the value of other types of early childhood education and care studies currently promoted and sponsored by the Departments of Health…

The Child Nutrition Act of 1998 authorized demonstration pilot projects in up to six school food authorities and a rigorous evaluation to assess the effects of providing free school breakfasts to elementary school children. This report describes the evaluation strategy and data collection plans. Part 1 of the report provides background…

This report reviews work by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG), which evaluated the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), including whether children are being enrolled inappropriately in SCHIP rather than in Medicaid, and states' progress in reducing the number of uninsured children. This…

Through an analysis of state and federal regulations, U.S. Department of Education policy letters, and state and federal case law on independent educational evaluations (IEEs), it is concluded that parents have the right to an unfettered IEE at the public expense when they disagree with a district's evaluation. (Contains references.) (CR)