In compliance with the Teacher Education Center Act of 1973 (Section 231.608, Florida Statutes), a select group of Florida educators, Department of Education members, and State Council on Teacher Education Centers (TEC's) representatives developed proposed criteria for both the evaluation of teacher centers and evaluation of the evaluation…

This research and development work was conducted under a grant which stipulated the development of: (1) training materials for teacher evaluation; (2) a performance measurement system; and (3) a prototype of training materials to remediate teacher deficiencies. Also required was an analysis of the Florida Generic Competencies, a study of district…

This article provides analysis of a site-based professional development model that is grounded in teacher best practices. Developed by the administration and teacher leaders of a racially/ethnically, socioeconomically, linguistically and academically diverse school in the USA, the teacher-centered coaching model described is an example of an…

Rasch analysis offers researchers an innovative method for developing and validating rehabilitation instruments. Despite the increased use of Rasch analysis by allied health researchers, this method continues to be underutilized by rehabilitation counseling professionals. In the rehabilitation counseling profession, vocational evaluators use…

In 2004, Lumina Foundation for Education launched "Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count," a national initiative aimed at improving success among community college students, particularly low-income students and students of color. Now encompassing more than 130 institutions in 24 states and the District of Columbia, Achieving the…

The project described in this report was conducted to identify what information about program characteristics was considered most useful by administrators in Florida's community college system in making decisions about program quality and to produce profiles of program characteristics to facilitate the decision-making process. Chapter I contains…

This study was conducted for the state of Florida to develop a component of the Vocational Education Instruction Program Review (VEIPR) for evaluation of bilingual vocational education programs. The study was aimed at Spanish-language bilingual vocational education programs. Standards and criteria that would ensure an effective vocational program…

The writing examination package is divided into three volumes: Examination Handbook (present volume), Training Manual, and a Ratings Manual. The volumes are interdependent, and all three must be understood before using the Training Manual to train raters. The Examination Handbook provides a context for the other two volumes. It gives a general…

Finalists for the Broad Prize for Urban Education demonstrate that identifying strategies that fit the local context is essential in creating success for students. Long Beach Unified School District in California and Broward County Public Schools in Florida demonstrate how districts can use different strategies to achieve the same goals.

An effective school requires an effective leader, but great principals rarely just happen. They are cultivated. This Wallace Perspective draws on a decade of foundation research and work in school leadership to show how urban school districts can play a major role in ensuring they have principals who can boost teaching and learning in troubled…

This report presents the Florida edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's 2008 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook." The 2008 "Yearbook" focuses on how state policies impact the retention of effective new teachers. This policy evaluation is broken down into three areas that encompass 15 goals. Broadly, these goals…

This brief monograph, intended for preschool teachers and administrators, explains various aspects of the assessment and evaluation of children and early childhood education programs. The value of evaluation procedures for program development is noted. The different forms that research designs and tests can take are explained. It is emphasized…

What are other states doing to assess whether K-12 teachers are meeting the technology proficiency standards (NET) outlined by ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education)? What are alternatives to the IC3 test? This question was answered by contacting state leaders and also by finding information on the Internet. Many states have an…

The essential nature of public school student performance on standardized examinations is becoming increasingly apparent. As schools across the nation are examined more closely based on the science achievement of students, career and technical education programs will be expected to contribute to this effort. Through the lens of Ajzen and Madden's…

Use of appropriate measurement methods and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles to assess teacher dispositions provides a safety net against legal and political challenges while also providing useful information for outcomes assessment. NCATE (2002) requires the measurement of dispositions as part of its…