This guidebook aims to provide clear, non-technical descriptions of procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of local gifted education programs in Virginia. The procedures were developed with both external and internal evaluations in mind. The evaluation process is described in four phases: planning, collecting the data, interpreting the data and reporting results, and implementing recommendations. The planning phase involves describing the program, determining general concerns, specifying evaluation questions, identifying sources of information to answer these questions and methods of collecting the information, and assigning time lines and responsibilities. For the data collection phase, the guidebook provides "master data collection instruments" with items indexed to specific evaluation questions so that schools can select those items relating to their specific evaluation plan. Procedures for using simple descriptive statistics to interpret the data are provided. A generalizable format for reporting the evaluation results is offered, along with general guidelines for facilitating the process of making program changes based on the evaluation results. Appendices contain program description forms; evaluation worksheets; and questionnaires for staff, principals, guidance counselors, classroom teachers, supervisory personnel, advisory committees, students, and parents. (JDD)