An attempt is made here to summarize briefly some of the challenges facing curriculum evaluation and evaluators. Further, suggestions are made for policy decisions and directions that research and applications might take. (Author/CB)

Based on research of teacher effectiveness, the Florida Performance Measurement System features formative and summative evaluation instruments comprised of wide-ranging concepts and indicators. Trained principals and supervisors observe and code behaviors for comparative evaluation. Florida districts and colleges make extensive use of the system…

Every year, New Zealand assesses students' learning progress through the National Educational Monitoring Project (NEMP). NEMP is a national, formative evaluation effort that provides New Zealand educators with an accurate picture of students' education progress at Year 4 and Year 8, which are roughly comparable to grades 3 and 7 in the United…

Use of multiple data sources in evaluation, or congruence analysis, promotes effective teaching. Data are systematically compared from classroom observation, teacher self-analysis, and student descriptions. A set is produced by scaling data from criteria and source. Diagnoses with suggested action are most useful in improving instruction. (CJH)

A Connecticut superintendent convinced his staff to try 360-degree feedback by using it first on himself. Having the collective opinion of several stakeholders made appraisal conference more meaningful. Additionally, 360-degree feedback identified and measured standards, stimulated collegiality and trust among administrators and teachers,…

Although today's performance pay plans take many forms, the most commonly proposed version--in which teachers are rewarded on the basis of their students' standardized test scores--flows from flawed logic and several troublesome assumptions: that teachers lack motivation and supposedly need financial awards to give students what they need; that…

Suggests that the key question in designing an evaluation effort is not "who" or "what" should be evaluated, but "why" the evaluation is being conducted. Once the purpose of the evaluation is established, the "who" and "what" follow logically. (JG)

Professionals with specialized training are not the only ones capable of evaluation. Increasingly evident is the skillful use in curriculum evaluation of a variety of qualitative methods by interested people. (Author/MLF)

As a high school principal, the author came to realize that the traditional teacher observation and evaluation model did not help teachers become reflective and improve their practice. Because his own use of brief, frequent principal walk-throughs had given him valuable insights into the need for instructional improvements, he decided to offer…

Relates why educators should embrace tests as tools for transforming teaching and learning. States that rigorous and meaningful testing can help ensure the academic achievement of all students. Further, useful education assessments must make clear what they measure, and they must measure what educators value most. (Contains six references.) (WFA)

Presents common attributes of effective evaluation systems, which are drawn from studies in Arizona, Michigan, and Vermont. Attributes include participant acceptance of validity, participant understanding of system mechanics and rationale, properly trained evaluators, a variety of evaluation methods, and evaluation as a district priority. (CJH)

Offers some proven design tips, tools, and criteria for fashioning assessment tasks that are more enticing, feasible, and defensible. Typical tests tend to overassess student "knowledge" and underassess student "know-how with knowledge." Test designers should create authentic simulations rich in contextual detail, devise meaningful tasks, and…

After establishing ambitious learning outcomes to prepare students for the next century, a Colorado school district used a framework developed at a nearby educational laboratory as a model to create appropriate assessment criteria and tasks. The revised assessment procedures have produced significant benefits for both students and teachers,…

Once students are asked to assess their own writing progress, they will begin to do their best for writing great prose instead of just great grades. Teachers will have to create a grade-free zone, allow students to set their own writing goals, provide a common language such as the Six Traits Model, and provide evaluation and instructional models…